My Favourite Gluten Free Alternatives
One of the first instructions I give my patients when prescribing a healthier diet is to go gluten-free. This often causes quite a bit of angst as I am begged the questions: ‘Why?’ And ‘What Will I Eat?’ both of these questions I have answered in previous blog posts titled Why I Avoid Gluten and What The Heck Do I Eat.
The fact of the matter is that once people begin their gluten-free journey, maybe with some googling, and some experimenting in the kitchen they come to re-create their old favourite dishes in a healthier way, and find new alternatives that look, smell and taste even better.
My 5 Favourite Gluten-Free Alternatives
Here I have listed my 5 favourite gluten-free alternatives and how I enjoy them as part of a healthy balanced diet.
If you are already on a gluten-free diet I would love for you to share you gluten-free favourites with the group in the comments below; and help those who may be brand new to the world of gluten-free foods avoid the pitfalls of unnecessary trial and error. That said, there are plenty of gluten-free recipes online that will provide a good baseline from which you should experiment.
1. Forage Gluten-Free Porridge
I simply can’t go past a warm porridge with honey and cinnamon in the wintertime, but when I first embarked on my health journey I discovered how difficult it was to find even Organic Rolled Oats that weren’t contaminated with Gluten or that caused gastro-intestinal upset. This is why when I embarked on my Forage Cereal food journey I was determined to provide an Oat-Free, Gluten-Free alternative that was just as fluffy, cooked faster, and was even more delicious than the conventional Quick-Oats on the market. This lead me to source a spectrum of ancient 100% Gluten-Free Grains such as Organic Brown Rice, Organic Amaranth, Organic Quinoa, Organic Rapadura Sugar, Organic Vanilla and Organic Cinnamon. The end result steams just as well and smells even more beautiful than the scent you might be used to.
2. Almond Flour
While I might not be a huge dessert person myself, I understand that one of people’s largest concerns when going Gluten-Free is the lack of baked goods on offer such as bread, muffins and the like. Thanks to the tribe of Thermies online however I have been introduced to the amazing ‘Almond Flour’ substitute. Almond flour is highly nutrient dense but can also be quite heavy in stomach and so it is important not too over consume it in the form so called ‘healthy’ muffins. That may be harder said than done however as I hear that it makes pancakes especially light and fluffy, and makes a mean banana bread.
You can make your own almond flour by grinding the whole nuts in a food processor, but if you wish to save yourself the mess and the cleanup then it is also fairly easy to find in the specialty flour section, or the health food isle at the supermarket.
3. Tamari
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love Asian cuisine, maybe it is my inner Okinawan but I just adore the fresh flavours of Asian vegetables, spices and marinades; especially Soy Sauce. However, once I began following a Gluten-Free diet my favourite dipping sauce was off the menu. That was until I discovered Tamari, the yeast-free substitute that I now use liberally in all my recipes at a 1:1 ration for soy sauce, and in my opinion it tastes even better!
4. Zucchini Pasta
By spiralizing your vegetables and substituting them for conventional pastas in your meals, you get to enjoy the many health benefits of eating more vegetables without ever really realising.
Zucchini Pasta is also a great substitute for people seeking weight loss because the high water content in vegetables such as zucchini can help detox your body, eliminate toxins and leave you feeling light and invigorated after a meal instead of tired and sluggish. Zucchini in particular is also especially high in folates that spike metabolism, while the volume leaves you feeling light and energised instead of tired and sluggish after your typical pasta meal.
5. Quinoa
This super grain is one of the most protein-rich foods we can eat, and one of the only plant-based complete proteins containing all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa also contains high levels of fiber that aid proper digestion, feed good bacteria in the gut and facilitate a slow release of energy over time; keeping you fuller for longer and warding off ‘hanger’.
My favourite way to use Quinoa is stir-fry and curry dishes as an alternative to traditional rice and noodles, or fluffed through salads for additional protein, a slow-release complex carbohydrate and a rich, nutty taste.
Related Podcast Episodes
- 12 June, 17 - 100NO 219: Do Gluten Free Diets Cause Diabetes?
- 28 March, 16 - TWG 246: Gluten gluten gluten with Dr. Alessio Fasano
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