Creamy Macaroni & Broccoli Salad

Here’s a lovely bladder friendly cold macaroni salad from author Julie Beyer RD, author of Confident Choices: A Cookbook for IC and OAB! Don’t forget that you can use your choice of macaroni: wheat, corn, quinoa, rice and so forth! From icdietproject.com .

Creamy Macaroni & Broccoli Salad


Ingredients:

4 cups cooked macaroni
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup coarsely chopped broccoli
1/2 cup diced red peppers
1/2 cup diced carrots


Ingredients for Dressing:

1/2 skim evaporated milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons cream cheese (with bladder friendly ingredients)
1 tablespoons feta cheese


Directions:

Toss together macaroni and vegetables; set aside.
In a small saucepan, mix together second set of ingredients. Heat until thickened. Cool completely. Add the macaroni mixture. Serve chilled.

Tahini Parmesan Dressing

Yes, tahini can be part of an interstitial cystitis (IC) diet. Tahini is a seed butter that contains sesame seeds, which are also bladder-friendly. From callieknutrition.com.

Tahini Parmesan Dressing

Yield: Makes 1 cup of dressing


Ingredients:

1/4 cup pear juice
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons light olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini (if tolerated and without problem ingredients)
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese (if tolerated)
Salt, to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons of water, or to desired consistency


Directions:

Blend all, taste and adjust salt to desired taste.

Homestyle Ranch Dressing

Indulge in the comforting flavors of the countryside with our homemade IC-friendly Homestyle Ranch Dressing! Crafted with care to cater to sensitive bladders, this creamy delight brings the essence of rustic charm to your table without compromising on taste or healthfulness.

Picture this: a velvety blend of cottage cheese and milk, infused with aromatic dill, garlic powder, and parsley, coming together in perfect harmony to create a dressing that's as wholesome as it is flavorful. With just a hint of salt to enhance the natural goodness of the ingredients, every spoonful offers a symphony of savory delights that will leave you craving more.

But here's the best part – our Homestyle Ranch Dressing is not only delicious but also gentle on the bladder, making it the perfect choice for those following an IC diet. Whether you're drizzling it over a crisp garden salad, using it as a dip for fresh vegetables, or adding a dollop to your favorite chicken wings, this dressing is sure to elevate any dish with its homely charm and comforting taste. So, go ahead, indulge in the goodness of homemade ranch dressing, and savor the simple pleasures of wholesome cooking made with love. From callieknutrition.com.

Homestyle Ranch Dressing

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Makes: 1 cup (4 servings)
Contains Dairy


Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup cottage cheese
1⁄4 cup milk
1 tsp. Dill or 1 Tbsp. Fresh Dill, Minced
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Parsley
1⁄4 tsp Salt (if tolerated)


Directions:

Add all ingredients to a food processor or Ninja Blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass jar and chill for several hours.


TIPS:

• Let the flavors blend overnight in the refrigerator for the best taste.

• Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

• Great as a fresh vegetable dip, chicken wing dip or with your favorite salad.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Satisfy your cravings with our IC-friendly Chicken Salad Sandwich – a delightful blend of tender shredded chicken, creamy cream cheese, and a burst of freshness from blueberries and celery. Crafted with care to cater to sensitive bladders, this recipe promises to deliver all the flavor and comfort of a classic chicken salad without any worry of discomfort. It’s versatile too! Serve it on IC-friendly crackers, rice cakes, or your favorite bread, or even enjoy on cucumber slices or as part of a refreshing lettuce salad. From callieknutrition.com.

Chicken Salad Sandwich


Ingredients:

1 cup shredded cooked chicken
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1⁄4 cup small blueberries
1⁄4 cup celery, minced
1⁄8 tsp. dill
1 tsp. brown sugar
Salt to taste


Directions:

Mix softened cream cheese (can microwave block for 10 seconds) with other ingredients.

Serve on IC friendly crackers, rice cakes or bread. Also delicious served on cucumber slices or with lettuce salad.


*Tips- You can make this with dinner leftovers or rotisserie chicken.

Poppy Seed Dressing

Elevate your salads and add a burst of flavor with our homemade Poppyseed Dressing – a delightful creation that's not only dairy and gluten-free but also crafted with sensitivity in mind. Perfect for those following an IC diet, this dressing promises to bring a touch of sweetness and tanginess to your meals without any worry of discomfort. From callieknutrition.com.

Poppyseed Dressing


Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup pear juice
1⁄2 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch (to thicken)
1⁄4 tsp garlic powder
1⁄2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp poppy seeds


Directions:

Blend all ingredients, except the poppyseeds, in a food processor or blender. Transfer mixture to a glass jar and stir in the poppyseeds.

Chill about an hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator for about a week.


Tips:

Delicious with salads and fruit!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Tasty, nutritious, what more could you want! Recipe created by Kerri Cole (@icfood4u). From callieknutrition.com.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Poppyseed Dressing


Ingredients:

✨Chicken
8 chicken breasts
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder (if tolerated)
1/4 cup brown sugar

✨Salad
Romaine, chopped
Cucumbers, chopped
Almonds
Goat Cheese

✨Poppyseed Dressing
1/4 cup pear juice
1/4 cup light olive oil (or canola oil)
1/8 teaspoon onion powder (if tolerated)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon poppyseeds


Directions:

Marinate Chicken: Mix oil and seasonings in a bowl. Pour over chicken and marinade for at least one hour but not more than 24 hours. Grill the chicken until done.

Mix the dressing: Blend all ingredients except the poppyseeds. Taste and adjust honey and seasonings as needed. Blend completely. Finally, add poppyseeds and stir.

Serve chicken and dressing over a bed of lettuce and cucumbers, and top with almonds and goat cheese.

Creamy Red Pepper Dressing

This sauce is amazing for anything! Salads, sandwiches, or even as a dip! This IC safe recipe was created by Kerri Cole (@icfood4u). From callieknutrition.com.

Creamy Red Pepper Dressing


Ingredients:

1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (if tolerated)
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon Just Five Homestyle Ranch mix (check for problem ingredients)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon roasted red pepper juice
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/2 roasted red pepper


Directions:

Blend all in a blender or food processor and use on salads or as a sauce on sandwiches, wraps, chicken, or burgers.

Quick Ranch Dressing

Yummy & tastes just like regular Ranch! From callieknutrition.com.

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (without problem ingredients)
1/4 cup milk (or less for a thicker dip consistency)
2 teaspoons McCormick Just Five Homestyle Ranch Dip, Dressing & Seasoning Mix packet (more or less to desired taste) check for problem ingredients


Directions:

Blend all until evenly mixed. Store in the fridge. Refrigerate 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Makes about 1 cup of dressing.

Mock Red Wine Salad Dressing

Here is something that really got my attention. An IC friendly salad dressing that is so simple and looks like a winner! From callieknutrition.com .

Mock Red Wine Salad Dressing


Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp blueberry juice
1/2 tsp white sugar


Directions:

Mix well and serve.

1 Minute Homemade Ranch Dressing

Ava, who has IC has a wonderful blog and she found this recipe on pinterest and tweaked it a bit. She uses it as a salad dressing or dips her French fries or veggies into it. It looks really good and I can’t wait to try it! 😊 From avacooks.weebly.com.


*Some people with IC find yogurt to be bothersome, but many do tolerate plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt without added sugar or artificial sweeteners. As always, remember to check for problem ingredients.

1 Minute Homemade Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp pepper (if tolerated or omit)
1/3 cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt or you can try low-fat plain or vanilla yogurt (check for problem ingredients)
1/4 cup of milk


Directions:

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Place your mix in a baggie or mason jar. Then whisk 1 Tablespoon of Mix plus Greek yogurt and milk into a bowl. You can add salt to taste if you feel like you need to.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad w/ Coconut Mint Dressing

Using a potato peeler, cut end-to-end, long strips of zucchini, marinate them in salt to extract the water, and toss the strips with a light salad dressing. Use a salad dressing that does not overpower zucchini’s natural sweetness (recipe for one is provided). From myfoodstyle.com.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad w/ Coconut Mint Dressing
Ready in: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Complexity: very easy


Ingredients:

2 pounds small zucchini, trimmed
1 tsp salt
4 cups frisée salad greens trimmed and torn into small pieces
1/2 cup toasted peanuts
8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls, halved
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Mint Dressing
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup mint leaves
2 garlic cloves


Directions:

1. Using a blender, puree the coconut milk, mint leaves, and garlic until smooth. Season with salt.

2. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices with a potato peeler and place in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle the zucchini with salt and then toss. Let them sit for 5 minutes, and then rinse under cold water.

3. While the zucchini sits, toast the peanuts. Place nuts in a single layer in a skillet. With the skillet over medium-high heat, stir or shake the nuts continually for 5 to 7 minutes or until they start to turn golden. Remove from the heat.

4. Using a kitchen towel, spread the zucchini strips into one layer, then gently roll up towel to absorb the water.

5. Add mozzarella and the mint dressing to the zucchini, frisée, and herbs; gently toss to coat.

6. Top with toasted peanuts and serve immediately.

Blueberry Salad Dressing

Who would of thunk Blueberry Salad Dressing? It sure sounds good! Blueberry salad dressing is flare free alternative to the citrus dressings. The flavor is bright but not to powerful, a perfect addition to crisp greens and fruit. From myfoodstyle.com.

Blueberry Salad Dressing
Ready in: 5 minutes
Serves: 12
Complexity: very easy
kcal: per serving: 12 calories


Ingredients:

1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup water
4 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon rind (just the peel), if tolerated
1/4 teaspoon salt


Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir often. Cover and chill thoroughly.

Kale Pasta Salad

The great thing about this dish it is, it’s great as a cold salad…but it’s also delicious heated up in a bowl and served warm. Which do you like best? From thepioneerwoman.com.

Kale Pasta Salad


Ingredients:

1 pound Bowtie Pasta (farfalle) (without problem ingredients)
3 Tablespoons Pine Nuts (if tolerated or use almonds)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
6 cloves Garlic, Minced
1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
1 teaspoon Black Pepper, More To Taste (if tolerated)
1 bunch Kale, Finely Sliced
4 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Shaved (if tolerated)


Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and add to a large bowl. Set aside.

Add pine nuts to a small skillet over low heat. Toast slowly over the course of 8-10 minutes, tossing regularly. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and garlic over low heat so that the garlic slowly infuses the oil. When the oil starts to cause the garlic to sizzle, stir around so the garlic doesn't get too brown. When garlic starts to turn golden, add salt and pepper, stir, and set aside for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, pour the oil mixture (scraping the salt, pepper, and garlic) all over the bowtie pasta. Toss to combine and set aside.

Set the same skillet (without cleaning it) over medium-high heat. Add the kale and cook for 5 minutes, or until partly wilted.

Add kale and pine nuts to the pasta and toss it all together. Check to make sure it's no longer warm, then add Parmesan shavings and toss. Taste for seasonings and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

(Hint: This is great warmed up and served as a hot pasta dish!)

GolferGirl123 Salad

GolferGirl123 sent in this delish salad and it’s one of her new favorites that is a must to try! She says the bacon is what makes it. She buys a very thick sliced uncured bacon from Whole Foods which comes with four slices per pack. It is also great as sandwich meat. When she serves the salad she doesn’t chop the bacon first. She just lays it on top of the salad, and you need a steak knife to cut it.

GolferGirl123 Salad


Ingredients:

Spring mix salad
fresh blueberries
chopped avocado chunks
3 pieces of bacon (if tolerated)
IC friendly granola or slivered almonds
fresh grated Parmesan (if tolerated)
Sea salt
Olive oil


Directions:

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Place salad into plate and top with blueberries, avocado, granola or slivered almonds, grated Parmesan, bacon, sea salt, and olive oil. Enjoy!

Avocado Egg Salad

Think you can’t have egg salad with IC? Think again. Since most salads contain mayo which is a major no-no for IC we have gone without. But Kristina took matters into her own hands and played around with eggs and avocado which are safe for IC and came up with this recipe. She says it’s fantastic and recommends that you serve this avocado egg salad with some crackers, in a pita, or on some homemade bread. Give it a try from niceats.blogspot.com.

Avocado Egg Salad


Ingredients:

4 hard-boiled eggs
1 avocado
1/3 cup cottage cheese
*1/4 cup plain greek yogurt (without problem ingredients)
*1/4 tsp garlic
*1/4 tsp salt
*1/8 tsp pepper (if tolerated)


Directions:

Remove shells from the eggs and discard. Mash eggs with a fork until whites and yolks are in pieces and mixed together. Remove avocado from skin, discard skin and pit. Mix the avocado into the eggs using a fork. Add cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and spices. Mix with the fork until all ingredients are combined.

Store in fridge for 1 day . . . know that on the second day it might appear slightly brown because of the avocados, but it is still fine to eat. If that weirds you out, make a sandwich for a friend to enjoy with you the day of, or just make half or a fourth of the recipe.

Notes: Greek yogurt, and yogurt in general is an ingredient that many with IC can tolerate. It has been fermented (like buttermilk and sour cream) and so some do report that it causes flares. I know that Fage and Chobani plain Greek yogurts are fine for me. The only ingredients they have listed are: grade A pasteurized skim milk, live active yogurt cultures L. Bulgaricus and S. Thermophilus. I recently tried a store brand Greek yogurt that had other ingredients listed, and it caused a flare... So, all things considered, try a small amount, and see if you tolerate this. If this is a problem food for you, I would just replace the yogurt with more cottage cheese- I bet it would still taste great! As always, spices (salt, pepper, and garlic) are triggers for some. Salt and garlic are among the friendlier, and pepper is a "try it" ingredient. Know your body and your limits; adjust accordingly!

Recipe inspired by Ashley from neverhomemaker.com

Prosciutto Pasta Salad

Cool, delicious, and easy to make. From giovanniranausa.com.

Prosciutto Pasta Salad
Cooking Time: 10 – 15 minutes
Servings: 10 to 12


Ingredients:

one 20-ounce package Giovanni Rana 5 Cheese Tortellini (check for problem ingredients)
1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup warm water
one 7-ounce package Giovanni Rana Basil Pesto (check for problem ingredients)
1/4 cup water
8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls, halved
½ cup moist sun dried tomatoes, chopped (if tolerated or omit)
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto (if tolerated), cut into strips (a sharp pizza cutter works great for this)
freshly ground black pepper to taste (if tolerated)


Directions:

Cook the tortellini according to package instructions, adding the green beans and tortellini to the pot at the same time. While the pasta is cooking, make an ice water bath: Dissolve the salt in the warm water in a large bowl. Add 4 cups each ice and water and reserve. Drain the pasta, cool in the ice water bath for 2 minutes, then drain again and transfer the tortellini to a large bowl. Whisk together the pesto and water and toss gently with the tortellini. Add mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, and prosciutto and gently fold to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Poppy Seed Dressing

Hurtin4certain uses this as her “go to” dressing for everything, but especially good with a combination of arugula, romaine, sliced pears, and toasted pine nuts. She also likes to add goat cheese, which she can tolerate. Hurtin4certain gives it: ★ ★ ★ ★

Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients:

1/4 cup pear juice (without problem ingredients)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbs raw unfiltered organic honey (or pure maple syrup)
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (if tolerated)
1/4 tsp onion powder (if tolerated)
1 tsp poppy seeds


Directions:

Put all ingredients in a jar and shake. Keep it refrigerated.

Four IC Friendly Salad Dressings

Here are some delicious IC friendly salad dressings that are sure to please anyone’s palate. From icdietblog.wordpress.com.

Basil Blueberry Non‐Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1 c. frozen blueberries, partially thawed
1/2 c. organic, pure blueberry juice
1/2 c. olive oil
1 t. lemon zest (if tolerated)
1/2 t. sugar
2 t. finely chopped fresh basil (may substitute thyme)
Pinch salt
Pinch white pepper as tolerated to taste


Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender. Blend using one‐second “pulses,” checking consistency after every couple of pulses. May also be made without using frozen berries. Simply increase juice to 1 cup.





Homemade and Healthy Ranch Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1 c. fat‐free plain yogurt (try organic Greek yogurt!)
1/2 c. low‐fat cottage cheese
1/2 t. lemon zest (if tolerated)
1 t. dill
2 t. parsley
1/4 t. minced garlic
Pinch onion powder
Pinch sugar
Salt and pepper to taste, if tolerated


Directions:

Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth. Store in refrigerator for up to one week past “sell‐by” dates on yogurt and cottage cheese.





No Name Salad Dressing

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons honey
Salt & pepper, if desired


Directions:

Mix together and store in refrigerator.





Maple Dressing

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (more if desired)


Directions:

Wisk the olive oil & maple syrup together. Store in the refrigerator.

Pear Salad Dressing

Finding a salad dressing that you can use while having IC is extremely hard. I found this at nikicooks.blogspot.com. This one is Niki’s favorite dressing on a spring salad with feta cheese. What salad will you put this on?

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp pear juice (you can even use the juice from canned pears)
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:

Add all ingredients and whisk.

Note: Niki triples the recipe to keep around for a while. Just make sure you shake before using again.