You may have started seeing “gluten free” products popping up at your local grocery store. This is, in part, because a gluten free lifestyle has been gaining a great deal of popularity this year. In fact, there are TONS of substitutes for your all-time favorite treats that would typically contain gluten.
If you are curious to know more about what a gluten free lifestyle entails or are looking to adapt to a gluten free diet, you will want to read on.
What It Means to Be Gluten Free
You may be wondering what exactly it means to follow a gluten free diet. It is important to note that gluten is actually a protein that’s mainly found in wheat, rye, and barley. It helps foods maintain their designated shape, and acts as a glue to hold our foods together. In fact, gluten can be found in countless types of foods, even some that you would not be expect. Some foods that typically contain gluten include breads, baked goods, soups, pasta, and even cereal.
A “gluten free diet” means that you are not consuming any foods that have wheat, barley, or rye products in them. The tab “gluten free” on a product means that there are substitute proteins and ingredients in the product to hold it together apart from the traditional proteins. Many restaurants now serve gluten free foods, so be sure to ask your server before ordering.
How to Make a Recipe Gluten Free
Any dietary restriction is a challenging situation. Still, with persistence and imagination, you can make new ways to substitute the gluten products and still have a tasty meal that the whole family can enjoy. If you are following a doctor’s advice, we recommend that you consider consulting with a nutritionist who can help you plan meals ahead or purchasing an instructional book for additional tips and recipes.
Developing gluten free recipes on a day-to-day basis can be challenging at times. However, if you keep an eye out at your local grocery store, substitute products for pasta and bread do exist. In addition, many foods are naturally gluten free such as dairy products, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and fresh meat. We recommend incorporating naturally gluten free foods into your weekly shopping list and incorporating soy, rice, corn or another gluten free grain into your recipes instead of traditional flours and grains.
Be careful of cross-contamination of gluten and gluten free foods, which can happen quite often in a toaster. Toasting regular bread and then gluten free bread will cause this cross-contamination.
Our Favorite Recipes
Gluten Free Pancakes
Start your breakfast off right with a fluffy and delicious gluten free pancake recipe from All Recipes. Some ingredients you will need to create this dish include:
1 cup Rice Flour
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
3 tablespoons Tapioca Flour
1/3 cup Potato Starch
4 tablespoons Dry Buttermilk Powder
1 packet Sugar Substitute
1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs
3 tablespoons Canola Oil
2 cups Water
Start off with a medium bowl and combine the rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, dry buttermilk powder, sugar substitute, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. After you combined all of your dry ingredients listed above, add in your eggs, water, and oil and mix thoroughly until the batter is smooth.
Once your batter is finished, pour batter onto a medium skillet and cook until bubbles begin to form. Flip, and continue cooking until golden brown on bottom. Serve immediately once finished.
Banana Bread in a Mug
If you’re looking for a quick and easy gluten free recipe, this delicious banana bread mug recipe from the Celiac Foundations an easy fix. Start off by finding a large microwave safe mug, combine the ingredients listed below, and microwave in your Sharp Carousel on high for 3 to 3-1/2 minutes, or until cake has risen.
Ingredients:
- 1 Large Banana
- 1 Large Egg lightly beaten
- 2 Tablespoons So Delicious Dairy-Free Almond Milk
- 1-2 Teaspoons Maple Syrup or Honey
- 4 Tablespoons Almond Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Walnuts chopped
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon ground
- 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
