Yes, it’s possible to be gluten-free and paleo and still love your pizza!
Last year I ran across a cauliflower pizza recipe which we tried while my mom in law was in town, and it was a BIG hit! We all loved it, though my only complaint was that it wasn’t sturdy enough to pick up and eat since I chose to leave out the cheese from the crust. But we all dug in with forks and knives, and while it wasn’t the same as the slices of heaven I used to love in NY, it was still a tasty version of pizza. Yay for options!
So here’s the original recipe; you can choose to eliminate the cheese from the crust as we did, but just be warned that it won’t be sturdy enough to pick up.
Note that I substituted goat cheese for mozzarella and instead of hawaiian style I added spinach and prosciutto. Delish!
Oh, and for those of you (like my husband) who don’t love cauliflower, no worries – the cauliflower flavor is undetectable 🙂
I used to go through life without thinking much about things. I wasn’t much of a planner at all; in fact, I was both irked by, and in awe of, people who were. How could they so confidently know what they were going to want in a few days, a week or even months? I had the hardest time picking a major in college because I couldn’t imagine that I knew at 19 years old what I was going to do for the rest of my life.
My reality today? Having food allergies means I have now become the biggest planner.
I can’t count on the ease of quick grab-n-go type foods since they typically contain ingredients I can’t eat, so I end up bringing snacks with me everywhere. I’ve become one of those people who eats dinner for breakfast (avoiding grains, dairy and eggs make breakfast foods near impossible), and I find myself reheating leftovers while my husband and son indulge in my old favorites, including breakfast tacos. Sadly, I live in Austin and can’t eat breakfast tacos! Speaking of my son, I’m raising a gluten, & dairy free kid which means I have to be prepared much more so than if I could simply rely on a quick drive thru or convenience store for a cure of the hunger pangs.
So, when a friend sent along a link to a book written by a set of Paleo parents trying to help others learn how to live a Paleo life with their children, I quickly bought a copy. To be honest, raising a child is complicated enough, but when you throw in food allergies or sensitivities it takes it to a different level. I want to make sure he doesn’t feel left out, or like the oddball of his friends. So while I now carry the ‘mom bag’ packed with healthy snacks, and Yelp restaurants for allergy-free reviews often, it was nice to read from another set of parents who are living the allergy-free life and making it work!
I agree with the parents behind the book, Eat Like a Dinosaur. They’ve found a way to make special diets fun for their kids, and they help parents understand how to keep our children safe and healthy. By following a modified Paleo diet, they have helped heal their children from various auto-immune conditions, which is so important in preventing a series of much scarier health concerns down the line.
What I love about the book?
It focus not just on a Paleo diet, but rather on food allergies in general, and includes old favorites such as cereal, chicken nuggets and waffles, which are all grain-free. Their intent is not on excluding foods, but rather, on eating healthy and delicious ones which mimic the same foods we are accustomed to, but in a healthier version.
All recipes are free of dairy, wheat, peanuts and soy.
All recipes are labeled so you know if they contain shellfish, tree nuts, fish or eggs.
Many of the recipes are set up to show your kiddos what parts they can help with, so they can help in the process of making these foods that are designed to help them live healthy lives. Plus they get to play a part in making some delish dishes!
It’s so important to help kids feel normal when they’re dealing with something that society has a bit of a stigma about, and I love that these foodie parents went all out to write a cookbook that helps their kids feel completely normal about their special diets.
Here’s a description of the book below and a video clip you can watch as well. I hope this helps you navigate the complexities of a ‘different’ lifestyle choice for you and your family too!
As many of you following a paleo diet can relate to (and as this Italian-raised girl often blogs about) the old pasta dish is one of the most commonly missed dishes in my home. I grew up on homemade pasta dishes covered in homemade sauces, used as a base for lasagna and nestled in between fresh mozz and ricotta cheeses as a baked ziti. So when I found out I had to give up pasta, I felt sad and a bit scared; scared of never enjoying my old favorites again.
And it didn’t take long for me to hop online searching for an alternative pasta once I went paleo and kicked out all grains for good. Soon I discovered many posts about “zuchinni pasta”. Sliced lengthwise, about one-eighth-inch thick (which you can also do it with a sharp knife, but it’s easier with a mandoline), zucchini ribbons can stand in for regular pasta. (Steam them for a couple of minutes until they’re crisp-tender.)
So when we ran across this paleo, dairy free ‘pasta’ dish on All Against the Grain, we were so excited to give it a test as it meets not only our gluten free, but our paleo needs too. And as Danielle who writes All Against the Grain often does, she was inspired by a similar recipe she found online and tweaked it a bit for her own tastes.
The version we made at home was slightly different, so you can read her original post here and below for our modified version.
This tasty little treat is not only grain free, but it’s dairy free as well, and with a quick omission of the prosciutto, it’s vegan friendly too. How perfectly balanced is that? Food and health in harmony; life is good 🙂
This relatively new Gluten-free resource hit the market running; it’s owned by General Mills and is their means for distributing information about their variety of gluten-free products which they’ve launched over the last couple years. In fact, in the last three years, General Mills — best known for Cheerios, Betty Crocker and that wheat-filled Pillsbury Doughboy — has put gluten-free labels on more than 300 products already made without gluten, reformulated the recipes of five Chex cereals and introduced gluten-free dessert and pancake mixes. Happy days for those of us raising allergic children!
And as many people continue to wonder, why has the rate of gluten allergies and sensitivities been on the rise?
“It’s not just that we’re better at finding it,” says Dr. Joseph A. Murray, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “It truly has become more common.”
Comparing blood samples from the 1950s to the 1990s, Murray found that young people today are nearly five times as likely to have celiac disease, for reasons he and others researchers cannot explain. And it’s on the rise not only in the U.S. but also in other places where the disease was once considered rare, like Mexico and India. “We don’t know where it’s going to end,” Murray says. “Celiac disease has public health consequences.” And therefore, it has a market.
And that market is growing. According to a recent Nielsen report on consumer trends, the volume of gluten-free products sold in the past year is up 37 percent. Spins, a market-research-and-consulting firm for the natural-products industry, says the gluten-free market is a $6.3 billion industry and growing, up 33 percent since 2009. So what do I like about Glutenfreely? Well, for one, they’ve placed a focus on providing delicious, gluten-free products for those with Celiac and/or Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity and have repurposed their recipes to make them available. While I myself avoid all grains, I’m raising a gluten-free 8 year old who is grateful for gluten-free cereals, protein bars and snacks that go into his lunch box occasionally. If you follow my blog, you know I don’t promote packaged foods, but for the purpose of raising an allergic child, I do think it’s important to keep a sense of normalcy in their lives so that they continue the path of living an allergy-free life. If you ostracize them all the time, they are less likely to follow the diet that will keep them safe and healthy for a lifetime.
So check out Glutenfreely’s shop here and see what they’re doing to shake up the competition; or rather, to help sell the competition’s products. Yep, believe it or not, General Mills who owns Glutenfreely offers their competitors products in their shop as well. I LOVE that; have to admit – it’s a smart move on their part and I’m sure they are seeing more sales on their GF products in large part to their willingness to align with their competition and offer a comprehensive place for GF eating. In fact, it reminds me of a little idea I’m working on for Inspiredeats as well 🙂
So go ahead, browse and shop with confidence at Glutenfreely.com, but remember – don’t make these GF items a simple replacement for your gluten-full foods. Stick to the perimeters and eat non-packaged foods as much as possible. And when those moments hit, and you crave a little something reminiscent of your youth, General Mills has made it clear they will be there with you along the ride to ensure healthy, gluten-free options.
I don’t know about you, but one of the things I tend to crave when the cravings hit (and I should mention that they don’t come very often when you follow the paleo diet) is chocolate. So I was so happy to run across this tasty, guilt free treat to help satisfy those cravings when they hit!
I was browsing some of my fave sites today and ran across a new one so I can’t yet vouch for these, but they look delish and after reading a bit about the site’s owners and browsing their other recipes, I’m pretty excited to give this one a shot! Note that you can make them vegan by using dairy-free dark chocolate – yum!
Head on over to their site and view the orignal recipe here; http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2010/06/frozen-banana-bites.html
Set out a large plate or bowl with a piece of parchment or wax paper on it.
Cut up the bananas into good-sized chunks. Each banana should give you around 5 to 6 pieces.
Heat the peanut butter and chocolate chips in the microwave on high for about a minute. Then stir until smooth.
Dip the banana pieces in the chocolate-peanut butter mixture. Lay them out leaving some space between them on the parchment/wax paper. Then when you've "covered" them all, use the remaining mixture to spoon over the tops (for even more chocolate-y goodness).
Then sprinkle the unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Transfer to the freezer for about an hour until hardened.
Notes
You can enjoy them right after they're made (but they aren't frozen yet -- and when they're frozen, the banana tastes like vanilla ice cream). I suggest then covering with some plastic wrap (or really you can do all of this in some kind of Rubbermaid container) and let them freeze overnight.
I just discovered a new vegan foodie blog today and found this delish looking recipe for gluten free, vegan waffles. When you get a chance, hop over to visit An Unrefined Vegan, described as Unprocessed, unbleached and cruelty-free: low-fat, low-sugar, whole food and plant-based recipes to nurture body, brain and conscience. Her food choices are creative, sound incredible and I love her photos! Great blog to bookmark 🙂
I’m sure it would taste just as good with traditional eggs and buttermilk for the non vegans here, so go ahead and experiment a bit and tell me how it turns out!
Gluten free, vegan: Banana-Chai Buttermilk Waffles with Cocoa-Coconut Butter
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 3+ 8" waffles
Serving Size: 1 8
Ingredients
1 cup spelt flour (use gluten-free flour or flour substitute such as almond flour for gluten free version)
1/3 cup oat flour (use certified gluten free oats and process them in a food processor)
1/2 cup almond meal (I used the meal left over from making almond milk, dried and processed in food processor)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. powdered stevia
1/4 tsp. anise seeds (ground in coffee grinder)
1/4 tsp. powdered cardamom
2 pinches ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp. egg replacer + 6 tbsp. water (whisk together until frothy, then let sit for a minute)
1 large, very ripe banana, mashed
1 1/2 cups vegan buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
Combine the flours, almond meal, baking powder, salt, baking soda, stevia and spices in a large bowl.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg replacer, banana, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Let the batter sit for about 15 minutes. (Turn the oven on to 200F so you can warm the plates and keep the cooked waffles crispy – and heat up the waffle iron, too.)
Lightly spray waffle iron with cooking oil and ladle on the batter. Cook for about 4-5 minutes and gently remove waffle and place on oven rack to keep warm while you prepare the rest of the waffles.
Top with a dab, slab or slice of Cocoa-Coconut Butter and your other favorite waffle toppings!
In a small measuring cup, whisk together the soy milk and cocoa powder until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the salt and apple cider vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes.
Melt the coconut oil in a small measuring cup. It’s not necessary to completely melt it down – some small solid bits are okay. In the bowl of a food processor, add the melted coconut oil, canola oil, soy milk mixture, soy lecithin granules, xanthan gum, agave nectar and vanilla extract.
Process for 1 minute, then scrap down the sides and bottom – sometimes the soy lecithin granules get stuck near the blade. Process for an additional minute, then carefully pour the mixture into the molds.
Chill in the freezer for at least one hour before removing from molds. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Today I stumbled upon a new site and found some delish looking baked zucchini chips which are a perfect solution for a no-grain diet. The site isn’t focused on allergy-free eating, but if you find yourself wanting some inspiration for yummy looking baked goods, it seems like Maggie of Vittles an Bits will be a good source I’ve copied her comments about the recipe below for reference and note that she’s very responsive if you have any questions so feel free to post them on her site.
Seasoned salt, or other seasoning(s) of your choice
Instructions
Preheat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil, and spray with canola oil. Set aside.
Slice zucchini into thin medallions, about the thickness of a quarter. (You can either use a knife & a very steady hand, or a mandoline slicer.)
Lay out slices on prepared baking sheet, and spray tops lightly with additional cooking spray. Sprinkle with seasonings of your choice. (A note on seasoning, however – use LESS than what seems appropriate. These shrink considerably in the oven, and if you use too much it gets very concentrated. It’s better to end up underseasoning and add more later.)
Place in preheated oven and bake 45 minutes. Rotate baking sheet (don’t flip the chips though), and bake an additional 30-50 minutes, until chips are browned and crisped to your liking. These are best eaten within a couple hours of removing from the oven, as they start to get chewy if left out. One zucchini makes one serving (1/4 C. – 1/3 C. of chips depending on the size of your squash).
To me, these chips taste kinda like thin & crispy pumpkin seeds. (I guess that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise since they are relatives in the squash family). Much lighter, but the taste is similar.
And the seasoning possibilities are endless – you can tailor them to your liking. Garlic, paprika, chili powder… use your imagination! I went with a basic Seasoned Salt and they came out great. But whatever you choose, just make sure you go easy on the seasonings, and only use a little bit – these do shrink a lot in the oven, so what looks like a reasonable amount on the raw veggies could turn out to be way too much!
While working on the recipe section tonight I was compiling some kid-friendly, gluten free lunch ideas and I ran across this one I had saved from the Washington Post some time ago. It’s a great option for a cold lunch and the plantains make for a delish and healthy addition with the black beans. Plantains have a heart healthy combo of nutrients, including vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium and fiber. They also contain resistant starch, which acts as a prebiotic, selectively nourishing the “good gut” bacteria that line the intestinal tract and protect against food borne illness. Yummy and good for us- yay! 🙂
For those of us following the Paleo or Primal Blueprint diets, pancakes are a thing of the past, right?
At least, that’s what I thought until I ran across this recipe on Mark’s Daily Apple. It’s definitely more carb-centric than much of what he suggests but as he states many times, those of us following the Primal Blueprint can allow for an indulgence now and then and still keep on track with our goals for health, wellness, weight loss, etc. That said, this is a delish and healthy indulgence and one I’m excited to make again this weekend. I hope you enjoy it too!
Ahh, the juicy, sticky, chewy goodness of fruit rollups brings back memories of childhood – twisting and pulling it from my teeth after making all sorts of weird shapes with it. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure how it got that pliable quality, and its probably best I dont know!
But, since I’m living Paleo, and trying to keep my son on the Paleo track too, they aren’t something I let him enjoy. So, when I found this recipe I was excited to give it a shot for him, and excited at how simple and clever the idea is! They take a bit of time to bake, so you’ll have to plan ahead for a time when you’ll be around for a couple hours to let them bake, but they stay good for a couple weeks so go ahead and make a big batch and keep slipping them in your kids lunch boxes and feel good about it!
Recently while chatting with some friends about the subject of food allergies and kids, I was surprised when one of them mentioned that his son’s school has started sectioning off the kids with food allergies into a separate classroom. Sadly, yes, you read that right – the food-allergic kids have their own classroom. He said the logic was that this prevented the other non-alergic (read “normal”) kids from having to limit which foods they take to school, so they can bring whatever they wanted. No one has to worry about peanut allergies, and can go back to PBJ sandwiches for example. Apparently the school felt this would help prevent kids from making fun of the allergic – kids (who made food an issue for the non-allergy kids).
REALLY? Do we really think that by separating our kids we’re preventing them from being made fun of? Quite simply, it goes to show how important it is to help understand how we can make our allergic kiddos feel ‘normal’, regardless of their differences.
