Easy Substitutions

For many of us with dietary restrictions, we feel like we have to give up foods we enjoy. Often times, however, there are quick fixes for many of our no-no ingredients.

Gluten free bread crumbs:

One things gf breads are famous for is being dry and crumbly. That said, all you really need to do to make gf bread crumbs is to crumble a loaf of gf bread in your hands and store it in the freezer until needed. If you try out a recipe, find that it is too dry and/or gross to eat, make crumbs easy and a good use of otherwise inedible "bread."

In meatloaf, things like rolled oats, quinoa and rice work well.

For Panko-like breading for fried chicken and breaded fish, crumbled Rice Chex or other crisp, gf cereals are delicious. Just season with salt, pepper and any other savory spices.

Sauce thickeners:

Corn starch is gluten free, but if you're avoiding grains, it's a no-go. Also, virtually all conventionally grown corn is now genetically modified, which may or may not bother you. So, if you go for corn starch, you might want to check out an organic variety.

Potato flakes are an easy substitute. Whisk some into soups, gravies and sauces.

Pureed fruits and veggies will also thicken breads, soups and other dishes. A can's worth of pureed beans will thicken up a chili and a processed banana will thicken pancake batter.

Tofu is also a great thickener. Mix with fruit and milk for a quick smoothie. It's can also be made into a vegan cheesecake with just a few ingredients.

Milk:

There are many fruit, grain and nut "milks" out there including soy, almond, hazelnut, oat, coconut and rice milks. In coffee, vanilla hazelnut milk tastes like a flavored cafe drink. In homemade ice cream, coconut milk is amazing. Almond milk makes the BEST hot cocoa I've ever had and plain oat milk is a good substitution for cow's milk in recipes. Soy milk is the traditional milk substitute, but I would encourage everyone to branch out and try other types of milk replacements.

Oil:

Appleasuce will knock out all added fat in many breads. It will moisten a loaf without the calories or fat.

Coconut oil is a super healthy fat full of vitamins and minerals. It's delicious in pasteries.

Sugar:

There are so many sweeteners out there today. Many are chemicals that end up being less healthy than cane sugar. Many are natural and plant based. My favorites are stevia, xylitol and honey. Other natural sweeteners include agave, molasses, coconut palm sugar and erythritol. If you use sugar, I would recomend an organic variety.

In conclusion, where there is a will, there is a way. There is a solution to most of these substitutionary issues. Play with your food- or at least your ingredients!