Painting: “Freedom from Want”
by Norman Rockwell
I was chatting with my daughter today about activities our family enjoys together.
Our favorite foods are always a part of the memorable gatherings.
We have many fond memories of watching old movies and eating our favorite sandwiches, playing board games while enjoying warm brownies, inviting family and friends to scrumptious holiday feasts, and (my daughter’s all-time favorite): New Year’s Eve celebrations with one-of-a-kind spinach pie (oh, that sounds like a new recipe post idea).
We remembered the challenge we faced when three family members were found to have non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
One of the hardest parts about discovering that you have Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or any kind of food allergy is that craving for the meals you used to enjoy but now can no longer eat.
How were we going to find ways to adapt our favorite meals using gluten-free ingredients?
We soon discovered that it was possible to update our favorite meals, and they were just as delicious as ever.
Discuss: What meal have you adapted for food allergies?
We want to hear from you! Do you, a loved one, or a friend suffer from a food allergy? In the comments section, share with us your favorite dish and how you’ve adapted it for loved ones with food allergies so they could enjoy it too.
Some secret family recipes
Chicken And Peppers In Olive Oil Recipe – This recipe was handed down to me from my late mother-in-law, who got it from her mother-in-law (John’s Italian-American grandmother) who got it from her mamma. It’s so tasty and tender the meat literally falls off the bone.
Gluten Free Escarole and Bean Soup (With Bacon) – John’s grandmother immigrated to the United States from the south of Italy as a young girl, and I always imagined that this particular version of the much-loved recipe had been passed down for generations.
How To Make Homemade Applesauce – This super easy recipe was handed down from my grandmother. The secret ingredient is love.
Gluten Free Pizza Fritelle – John’s grandmother would make these golden fried puffs of dough sprinkled with powdered sugar. This pastry treat will delight your tastebuds.
Gluten Free Meatloaf – Follow my tips for perfect no-fail meatloaf, you’ll get two thumbs up from everyone at your table.
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Rohit Sharma says
I am a veggie! I don’t see here much food allergies. One of my friend’s child was facing children with peanut anaphylaxis. They tried some Indian recipes based on vegetables may be spicy and does not include meat, eggs or seafood.
I am not fond of cooking but whenever I face bad stomach I go for fried chopped onion into curd making it mild spicy. Its very soothing and refreshing meal with rice.
Barbara says
Thank you for commenting. This peanut allergy is a dangerously severe allergy. Sorry to hear that. Also, thanks for sharing your remedy for a bad stomach!
The Great Gordino says
I would say my only food adaptations have been as a result of me suffering migraines.
There are some foods I won’t eat, and others I eat in moderation (chees being an obvious one) to try and keep migraines at bay.
No big deal really, and I’ve been doing it for so long I don’t even notice it!
Cheers,
Gordon
Barbara says
Thanks for commenting and sharing the tip on how to keep migraines at bay.
Lacy says
Luckily, my family doesn’t face any food allergies, but my daughter’s best friend is allergic to eggs, dairy, and peanuts; my closest friend is gluten-intolerant; and my best friend since middle school has Type I diabetes, so I’m no stranger to cooking for food intolerances.
My current quandary is how to make birthday tea party food that is gluten-free and vegan to accommodate all our guests. I made GF vegan chocolate cupcakes yesterday that were an UTTER fail! Tasted OK, but they spread out of all the muffin tins and then cratered! *sigh* Back to the drawing board!
If anyone has a fool-proof recipe for gluten-free vegan cupcakes, I’d love to have it!
Barbara says
I totally understand your frustration. Before finding out that my family had non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergies, I loved to bake. I would watch for that look of delight on people’s faces with each bite.
(the pancakes are tasty, too. I substitute milk instead of water. Great if you aren’t sensitive to dairy.)
It’s not that simple with gluten-free baking. It seems that you have to combine 2 or 3 flours together to make it work. Adding xanthan gum can add integrity and make baked goods less crumbly, but some folks are sensitive to xanthan gum. So some suggest a mixture of psyllium husks, ground chia seeds and flaxseeds. Then you have to watch the ratio of flours to fats to eggs to liquid. Ugh!
I have had success with a wonderful pound cake using Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour (I’ll post the recipe). This flour might work with your chocolate cupcakes. And chocolate chip cookies are terrific with Pamela’s Ultimate Baking and Pancake Mix
Since you don’t have to bake gluten-free all the time, Lacy, you may want to keep one of these flours on hand to bake up some treats when you’re expecting company.
Becky Meyer says
Yes cooking Vegan Cupcakes is not easy, as you don’t have gluten and eggs to bind them. I bake gluten free baked goods for a bakery called SCRUMPTIOUS in Carmel, NY and sometimes get request for vegan recipes. I have tried many but these are the best:
1 Cup Sorghum Flour
1 Cup Tapioca flour (flour and starch are the same)
3/4 c cane sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthum gum (this acts as gluten to bind products)
Add In
1 cup of coconut milk, rice, almond milk your choice
1/4 cup of eggs or for vegans 1/4 cup of end-G egg replacer
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
Beat with mixer till smooth
fill 12 cupcake liners
bake in 350 preheated oven for 15-20 minutes depending on oven
Frost with coconut oil frosting: or buttercream for those that can do dairy!
ingredients:
1/4 cup unrefined (virgin) coconut oil
16 oz powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons coconut or soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
We eat Paleo diet in our home, check out Paleo Recipes online, its a healthy way to eat and can cure many peoples aches and pains.
Barbara says
Thank you Becky, for sharing this recipe. Your baked goods are excellent. I will definitely be baking these.
Tammy Eakes says
Eggplant & Spinach Lasagna. I have changed this food because my family doesn’t care for pastas and high carb foods and because my husband is trying to lower the amount of gluten in his diet. The original recipe is spinach lasagna. Where the recipe calls for lasagna noodles I use thinly sliced eggplant (sliced the long way) instead. It’s absolutely delicious, vegetarian, and carb free! Here’s a link to the original recipe that calls for lasagna noodles: https://noskinnies.com/blog/2013/3/29/spinich-lasagna-the-healthy-way
I found you on probloggers Discussion Post contest. I am participating too. Thanks!
Barbara says
We’re also trying to eat less carbs. Your rendition of this spinach lasagna sounds delicious. I’m going to try making this!
Becky Meyer says
We eat mostly paleo diet, its very good for you.
Check out some recipes at these websites:
https://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-diet-recipes/
https://paleomagonline.com
https://civilizedcavemancooking.com/tag/paleo/
Cameron O'Shea says
I have a few things I can’t eat including Dairy and Gluten. At first it was difficult but I love cooking so after a while I have all kinds of alternative options to cook!
Barbara says
Glad you stopped by. There are so many more alternatives available than when I started cooking gluten free. I love to cook and my family loves to eat.
DinoMama says
No one in our family has any food allergy but my friend & her daughter are allergic to nuts. So when we gather together for a meal or pot luck we have to make sure no nuts are in the food, that means we cannot use peanut oil to cook our food too.
Barbara says
Hello Jennifer,
Thanks for joining in the discussion. It’s challenging to cook for friends with allergies especially because you may not always have the substitute ingredients on hand.
As a family with allergies, we always appreciate when friends cook for us accordingly. I’m sure your friend is grateful.
Judith at WholeHearted Home says
Thanks so much for sharing this on WholeHearted Home. When the children were little we had some definite concerns with sugar and milk.
Barbara says
Thanks for chiming in, Judith.
Trevor says
Wow, awesome blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you make blogging look easy. The overall look
of your site is wonderful, as well as the content!
C says
I avoid sugar, have a vegan in the family, and a relative on a very restrictive Paleo-like diet. I set out on a quest to make a chocolate cake or brownie everyone could eat that was only sweetened with fruit. It wasn’t easy because my go-to vegan chocolate cake depended on a dry sweetener (crazy cake, easy to make GF by simply using a packaged GF flour mix), and Paleo cakes are all dependent on lots of eggs for leavening. I haven’t found a fluffy cake recipe, but i was able to make fudgey brownies, and that’s the best kind of brownies anyway. 🙂
I once de-glutened a carrot cake by simply subbing white rice flour for wheat, and i actually liked it better, because rice flour is lighter and airier and balanced out the dense carrots. I’ve also used corn flour instead of wheat in cornbread for a long time. Has a more pure corn taste. Right now I’m working on a vegan GF fruit sweetened pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!