Lunch

Herbed Cod and Soft Couscous Lunch Bowl

This gentle lunch bowl pairs soft, low-fibre couscous with tender poached cod and mild Mediterranean herbs for an easily digestible, binding meal that’s friendly for GLP-1 users with diarrhoea. It’s low in fat and fibre while still providing solid protein to support nutrition when overall intake is reduced.

Prep time 10 min
Cook time 15 min
Total time 25 min
Servings 2
Difficulty easy
Per serving 0.2 cal

Ingredients

  • 220 g cod fillet — cut into large chunks, skin removed
  • 80 g dry couscous — plain, fine
  • 350 ml low sodium chicken broth — warm
  • 5 ml extra virgin olive oil — for drizzling optional
  • 1 g dried oregano — crumbled
  • 1 g dried parsley — crumbled
  • 1 g fine sea salt — or to taste optional
  • 0.5 g ground white pepper — or to taste optional

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan, bring the low sodium chicken broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
  2. Add the cod chunks to the simmering broth, reduce heat to low, and poach for 6–8 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily; avoid boiling to keep it very tender.
  3. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift the cooked cod into a bowl, leaving the hot broth in the pan; cover the cod lightly to keep warm.
  4. Stir the dry couscous, dried oregano, and dried parsley into the hot broth, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes until the couscous is very soft and has absorbed most of the liquid.
  5. Fluff the couscous gently with a fork, adding a small splash of hot water if it seems too dry, then season lightly with sea salt and white pepper if tolerated.
  6. Divide the soft couscous between two small bowls, top each with half of the poached cod, and drizzle each portion with a very small amount of olive oil if extra calories are needed and fat is tolerated.

Tips for GLP-1 users

If your gut is very sensitive during a GLP-1 dose increase, cook the couscous a few extra minutes in more broth to make it almost porridge-soft, which can be easier to tolerate with diarrhoea.

More recipes

Calming Cinnamon Rice Protein Smoothie

This gentle, cinnamon-warm smoothie is designed for GLP-1 users experiencing diarrhoea, using soft white rice and banana to provide binding, low-fibre, easily digestible carbs. A neutral rice-based protein powder boosts protein without adding fat or roughage, helping you meet nutrition needs even when your gut is sensitive.

25 min 11.1g protein 2 servings
GLP-1 Score: 56/100

Cinnamon Rice Pudding Recovery Smoothie

This cinnamon rice pudding–style smoothie is designed for GLP-1 users experiencing diarrhoea, using low-fibre, binding white rice with gentle flavours to calm the gut. It provides easily digestible carbohydrates and protein in a small, sippable portion to support recovery when appetite and tolerance are low.

25 min 10.8g protein 2 servings
GLP-1 Score: 55/100
High Protein

Cinnamon Fish & Rice Soft Snack Squares

These mild, cinnamon-scented fish and brown rice snack squares are designed for GLP-1 users dealing with diarrhoea, using low-fibre, binding ingredients that are easy to digest. The baked texture is soft and gentle on the gut while still providing high-quality protein in a small, manageable portion.

28 min 24.3g protein 2 servings
GLP-1 Score: 43/100