I’ve had several friends recently find out they are either sensitive or allergic to glutens. Some just get worse headaches when they eat glutens and others found out they have a severe case of Celiac’s disease. There’s Gluten in SO many things now! But it can be done! It helps to remember that potatoes and rice are still okay. Most all-natural meats are GF (beware processed meats in general anyway, but especially when your Dairy Free or Gluten Free – they can be filled with additives). And, of course, fruits and veggies are always a win! Below are some resources I’ve gathered to use when I take treats to their house or have them over for dinner.
Some GF-Friendly Sites I Like:
- www.ohsheglows.com (Gluten Free Vegan with really delicious recipes)
- www.frugalgranola.com (Christian Couple – wife has celiac’s)
- http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/gluten-free.php (Also, I LOVE the Whole Foods recipe search engine! You can narrow down by meal type, ingredients, special diet restrictions and everything! So cool! If you use the advanced search in their recipe section, you can select “Gluten Free” and it will only give you recipes that meet that criterion: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/advanced-search.php.)
- http://glutenfreemommy.com/ has a great list of recipes and ideas too.
Most grocery stores have their own Gluten Free section now. If you haven’t tried Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah), it’s great! It’s a whole grain that’s gluten free and contains protein as well as Omega 3’s. And it can be served savory or sweet, hot or cold. It cooks kind of like rice, in about 15 minutes. Here’s my favorite recipe for breakfast: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/warm-and-nutty-cinnamon-quinoa-recipe.html.
You might also look into “Paleo Diet” or “Primal Blueprint” (aka Cave Man Diet) – they are heavy on meat and veggies and almost eliminate grains, so you could find some options using those too. I have a couple friends on Primal, and they have a really good grain free pizza crust that uses almond meal, egg, and parmesan cheese.
And, yes, they can still eat dessert! A couple of my favorite GF-Friendly desserts are the Flourless Brownies from Whole Foods Recipes and a No Bake Chilled Double Chocolate Torte recipe from Oh She Glows.
One thing I try to remind my newly-“GF” friends is to look at all the rich things God has given them to enjoy instead of focusing on what they can’t have. After all, they’re not the first people to have been given a food restriction (remember Adam and Eve in the Garden – they were given a whole garden and told to avoid ONE tree). So, enjoy the “garden” and praise God for all His rich blessings!
What GF-Friendly sites or recipes are your favorites?
