When you discover that you have gluten intolerance, the first reaction is usually a slight panic. Cookies, pastries, pasta, cereal - it seems like you have to give up all your favorite foods, what is there to eat now? We'll tell you how to easily organize meals on a gluten-free diet.
Step 1. Detect the enemy by sight
The first step is to find and eliminate gluten-containing foods and dishes from your diet. There are a lot of them.
The obvious ones that everyone knows include:
- cereals (wheat, rye, barley, semolina, bulgur, spelt, couscous and spelt);
- Products made from wheat: flour, bread, cookies and pastries, pasta, breakfast cereals, baby cereals.
And if everything about flour and grains is clear, then many people are not familiar with some products that contain gluten.
For example:
- store-bought dairy products containing additives and thickeners (curds, yogurt, cottage cheese, milk powder, processed cheese),
- Semi-finished meat and fish products (especially breaded),
- dumplings, pancakes, dumplings,
- Ice cream (not just because of the waffle cone, the ice cream itself often contains gluten),
- sausages, canned foods, imitation seafood ("crab meat" and "crab sticks"),
- Chips, bread and crackers.
Wheat gluten and protein can end up in food colorings and additives. Therefore, spices and bouillon cubes, sauces (soy, ketchup, teriyaki, tomato paste, many other sauces that use flour to thicken), chocolate, coffee and alcoholic drinks (beer, vodka, whiskey, wine drinks with colors or flavors) are also suitableetc. ). aromatic additives).
recommendations
- Read the labels carefully. Look out for traces of gluten in the composition. If possible, choose products labeled "Gluten Free" or "Gluten Free. "You can find these in the diet section of supermarkets.
- When cooking, use whole foods: fresh meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and oils.
Step 2: Replace gluten with healthy alternatives
Flour made from grains and legumes – instead of wheat.
- Grains, nuts and legumes can be used to make flour for bread, pasta, pastries, pancakes and desserts.
- Flour made from buckwheat, rice, chickpeas, soy, flax, corn and almonds are ideal for these dishes. It's easy to prepare it yourself: just grind the ingredients in a special grinder.
What you should know about preparing flour
- To get the most out of homemade flour, we recommend soaking the seeds and nuts beforehand and then drying them in a dehydrator. This reduces the concentration of phytic acid in the seeds, which interferes with the normal absorption of minerals from the plants.
- It is better to grind the flour in small portions right before cooking. This avoids oxidation of the seeds and preserves all useful substances.
Breakfast isn't just oatmeal and sandwiches
- There are many equally delicious alternatives: homemade yoghurts from the fermenter, potato pancakes, smoothies and colorful bowls, pancakes and pancakes made from buckwheat or rice flour.
- You can make healthy green buckwheat granola in a food dehydrator or granola in a grinder 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 the rescue.
Legumes and grains – instead of pasta
- For lunch, you can eat legumes or grains (rice, quinoa, polenta, millet, amaranth, buckwheat, corn semolina) that do not contain gluten as a side dish.
- You can replace your usual pasta with rice, buckwheat, and bean pasta, or make pasta from gluten-free flour.
- Meat and fish can be breaded in crushed cornflakes and the batter can be made from chickpea or rice flour.
- Gravies and sauces can be easily thickened with potato or corn starch.
- Instead of bouillon cubes and store-bought mixes, try homemade seasonings: Dry vegetables and herbs in a food dehydrator or grind them in a food mill or blender. You get a natural aromatic seasoning. Powder made from dried mushrooms or jerky adds a rich flavor to broths and sauces.
Snack gluten-free
- As a snack, try homemade potato chips or gluten-free bread in the dehydrator.
- Pieces of meat and fish can be dried to create natural and filling snacks.
Desserts have not been canceled
- Use nut or rice flour to prepare it.
- Instead of store-bought cream, use coconut cream or homemade coconut yogurt from the fermenter.
A good alternative to store-bought sweets are fruit chips and dried pastilles as well as healthy candies made from nuts and dried fruits (without oatmeal).
Step 3. Organize gluten-free baby food
- Prepare the same dishes, only from gluten-free flour and cereals (we have already discussed options for pasta and cereals above).
- Try making pancakes, pancakes, or cheesecakes with coconut, buckwheat, or rice flour.
- Dumplings and dumplings can also be made from rice-based flour.
- Sweet bars, cookies and candies can be made from nuts, dried fruits and cocoa crushed in a blender (and even turned into a common game, for example making cookies of different shapes from coconut and banana).
- Don't forget vegetable and fruit chips (instead of store-bought crackers), marshmallows and natural ice cream.
Gluten-free recipe ideas
| Menu #1 | Menu #2 |
Breakfast Flax porridge with fresh fruits |
Breakfast Green buckwheat cereal + boiled eggs |
Dinner Pumpkin soup with flax bread and avocado salad |
Dinner Homemade borscht with cashew sour cream Stuffed cabbage rolls with bean and lentil sprouts |
Afternoon snack Fresh vegetables with homemade hummus |
Afternoon snack Gluten free avocado bread |
Dinner Zucchini noodles in tomato sauce with herbs |
Dinner Risotto with curry chicken thighs and cashews |