If you discover that you are gluten intolerant, your first reaction is usually mild panic. Biscuits, pastries, pasta, cereals - it seems that you will have to give up all your favorite foods, what is there to eat now? We tell you how to comfortably organize meals on a gluten-free diet.
Step 1. Know the enemy by sight
The first step is to find and eliminate gluten-containing foods and dishes from the menu. There are many.
The obvious ones that everyone knows include:
- cereals (wheat, rye, barley, semolina, bulgur, spelt, couscous and spelt);
- wheat-based products: flour, bread, biscuits and pastries, pasta, breakfast cereals, children's cereals.
And if everything is already clear about flours and cereals, then many are not aware of some products that contain gluten.
For example:
- Store-bought dairy products that contain additives and thickeners (curd, yogurt, cheese curds, milk powder, processed cheese),
- semi-finished meat and fish products (especially breaded),
- dumplings, pancakes, dumplings,
- ice cream (not only because of the waffle cone, often the ice cream itself also contains gluten),
- sausages, canned food, imitation seafood ("crab meat" and "crab sticks"),
- crisps, bread and crackers.
Gluten and wheat proteins can end up in dyes and food additives. Therefore, also seasonings and bouillon cubes, sauces (soy, ketchup, teriyaki, tomato paste, many other sauces in which flour is used for thickening), chocolate, coffee and alcoholic beverages (beer, vodka, whiskey, wine drinks with colorings or flavors and aroma additives).
Recommendations
- Read labels carefully. Pay attention to traces of gluten in the composition. Whenever possible, choose products labeled "Gluten-Free" or "Gluten-Free", which you can find in the diet section of supermarkets.
- Use whole foods for cooking: fresh meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and oils.
Step 2: Replace gluten with healthy alternatives
Cereal and legume flour - instead of wheat.
- Flour for bread, pasta, pastries, pancakes and desserts can be made from grains, nuts and legumes.
- Buckwheat, rice, chickpea, soy, flax, corn and almond flour are excellent for these dishes. It's easy to make it yourself, just grind the ingredients in a special mill.
What is important to know about flour preparation
- To get the most out of homemade flour, we recommend soaking the seeds and nuts beforehand and then drying them in a dehydrator. This will reduce the concentration of phytic acid in the seeds, which interferes with the normal absorption of minerals by the plants.
- It is best to grind the flour in small portions immediately before cooking. This will help avoid oxidation of the seeds and preserve all the beneficial substances.
Breakfast isn't just oatmeal and rolls
- There are many equally tasty alternatives: homemade yogurt from the fermenter, potato pancakes, smoothies and colorful bowls, pancakes and pancakes from buckwheat or rice flour.
- You can make healthy green buckwheat granola in a dryer or cereal in a mill for breakfast.
- If it is difficult for you to imagine your morning without porridge, buckwheat, rice, millet, gluten-free oatmeal, amaranth and flax will come to your rescue.
Legumes and cereals - instead of pasta
- For lunch, as a side dish, you can eat legumes or cereals (rice, quinoa, polenta, millet, amaranth, buckwheat, corn) which do not contain gluten.
- You can replace your usual pasta with rice, buckwheat and bean noodles or make the pasta with gluten-free flour.
- Meat and fish can be breaded in crushed corn flakes and the batter can be made with chickpea or rice flour.
- It's easy to thicken gravies and sauces using potato or cornstarch.
- Instead of store-bought bouillon cubes and mixes, try homemade seasonings: Dry vegetables and herbs in a dehydrator or grind them in a food grinder or blender. You will get a natural aromatic seasoning. Powder made from dried mushrooms or jerk meat will add rich flavor to broths and sauces.
Gluten-free snacks
- For snacks, try homemade chips or gluten-free bread in a dehydrator.
- Meat and fish pieces can be dried to create natural and satisfying snacks.
Desserts were not cancelled
- To make them, use walnut or rice flour.
- Instead of store-bought cream, use coconut cream or homemade coconut yogurt from a fermenter.
A good alternative to store-bought sweets are fruit chips and dehydrating lozenges, as well as healthy candies made from nuts and dried fruits (no oatmeal).
Step 3. Organize gluten-free baby food
- Make the same dishes, just with gluten-free flour and grains (we've already discussed pasta and grain options above).
- Try making pancakes, pancakes or cheesecakes with coconut, buckwheat or rice flour.
- Dumplings and dumplings can also be made with rice-based flour.
- Sweet bars, cookies and candies can be prepared from nuts, dried fruits and cocoa chopped in a blender (and even turn it into a joint game, for example, making cookies of different shapes from coconut and banana).
- Don't forget fruit and vegetable crisps (instead of store-bought crackers), marshmallows and natural ice cream.
Gluten-free recipe ideas
| Menu no. 1 | Menu no. 2 |
Breakfast Flax porridge with fresh fruit |
Breakfast Green buckwheat granola + hard-boiled eggs |
Dinner Pumpkin soup with flaxseed bread and avocado salad |
Dinner Homemade borscht with cashew sour cream Cabbage rolls stuffed with bean sprouts and lentils |
Afternoon snack Fresh vegetables with homemade hummus |
Afternoon snack Gluten-free avocado bread |
Dinner Courgette pasta in herbed tomato sauce |
Dinner Risotto with curry chicken legs and cashews |