How to live with food intolerances without depriving yourself!

Source: K pour Katrine

The right mindset!

Food allergies or intolerances sometimes occur out of the blue and that’s not great news. Once you decide to change your diet, you might even feel a bit discouraged. Don’t worry, it’ll pass! What you need is to focus on what you can still eat rather than what you can’t anymore. It’s also important to keep in mind that you can still indulge yourself! So here is some practical information to help you embrace your new dietary habits!

1Tasty gluten-free foods!

Potatoes (which means chips!), rice, quinoa, vegetables, meat, eggs, nuts, seeds… there are still plenty of options! When it comes to grains, there are so many alternatives to wheat. Buckwheat, corn, millet, amaranth, and sorghum are but a few examples that should fill the wheat shaped void! Good news: Ketchup-relish-mustard, no problem! A couple hot dogs… with gluten-free bread and you’re all set! We've also got a few recipe ideas that will whet your appetite!

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Ultimate Chuck Roast Burger

2Say goodbye to boring breakfasts!

For a delicious gluten-free, dairy-free breakfast, think outside the box and you won’t have to eat boring old toast every morning! There are plenty of recipes that will kickstart your day. A protein breakfast bowl is a good example. In fact, silken tofu is an ingredient that’s perfect in desserts and bowls filled with fruits and nuts. You’ll love this recipe!

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Blueberry and Banana Smoothie Bow

There are now so many plant-based "yogurts" available in store! I love coconut-based options for their texture. A simple "yogurt" bowl with fruits and nuts is divine. Try enhancing your coffee with soy or oat milk or one of the plant-based milks specifically made for coffee. You’re sure to find one you love!

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Caramel and Date Iced Coffee

3Pancakes forever!

Make the pancake batter and pour it into a mason jar that you can store in the fridge. Then when you’re ready, enjoy an easy, simple breakfast. All you need to prepare your pancakes is a non-stick pan and only a few more minutes than if you were toasting some bread. Here’s a recipe for buckwheat pancakes that will help you start your day off with a roar!
¾ cup (180 mL) buckwheat flour
¾ cup (180 mL) L’Angélique gluten-free flour La Merveilleuse
2 large eggs
2 ½ cups (625 mL) soy or almond milk
1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) baking soda
Pinch of salt

PREPARATION
Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl. Pour the batter into a large mason jar. Store in the fridge and your week’s breakfasts are ready to go! Here’s a great recipe for weekend pancakes:

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Rum Pancakes with Caramelized Apples

4Prepare your lunch the night before.

To enjoy a satisfying lunch despite your intolerances or allergies, all you need is a bit of preparation! The idea here is to plan the next day’s lunch while you’re preparing dinner. An easy way is to double your dinner portions or prepare a quinoa recipe that will turn into a quick salad the next day. You’ll soon discover that making your lunch is healthier than eating out and as a bonus, you’ll get to enjoy peace of mind knowing exactly what went into your meal!

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Taco Salad in a Jar

A bowl of hearty soup for lunch is a tasty idea! Try this recipe and you’ll be convinced!

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Hearty Moroccan Soup

5Tons of snacks!

To avoid hunger pangs, make sure to always have some snacks on hand. Fruits and nuts are obviously a great choice, but I always have some bars or a muffin in my bag! Try breakfast energy cookies, an extremely popular recipe that tastes great and will give you enough energy to power through the rest of your day!

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Chocolate Almond Crunchy Bars

6Prepare your lunch the night before.

It's easy to get inspired for your weeknight dinners because there are tons of gluten-free, dairy-free recipes! Stews that fill up your home with appetizing aromas, sautéed rice dishes packed with vegetables and shrimp, or tofu for a vegetarian option.

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Cod with Tomato Confit, Herbs and Orange

Pasta for its part is a bit trickier! Gluten-free noodles might be more brittle but by cooking them 1 to 2 minutes less than the instructions on the packaging call for will improve their texture. I don't recommend reheating gluten-free pasta, just make the quantity you want! For a creamy sauce, I use soy cream. Follow the steps in this recipe to make a delicious, creamy pasta dish. You'll also learn when to add the cooking water for extraordinary results.

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reamy Mushroom, Pancetta, and Broccoli Pasta

7Tons of snacks!

When you can no longer eat gluten or dairy, it’s normal to worry about missing desserts made with butter, sugar, flour, and everything else you love! But believe me, you don’t need to stop treating yourself! I’ve developed recipes with easy flour mixtures as well as flourless recipes! Honestly, I think that my desserts will please everyone around your table! That’s a promise that comes from a girl with a sweet tooth!
In my first gluten-free cake recipes, I only used gluten-free flour and I never thought the texture was to my liking. I then concocted a mixture of gluten-free flour, quick-cooking oats, and almond powder for a cake that’s fluffy and delicious. The quantities below are the equivalent of 2 cups of flour. Try combining your own mixtures or preparing one of my recipes!
1 cup (250 mL) gluten-free flour
½ cup (125 mL) gluten-free quick-cooking oats
½ cup (125 mL) almond powder or ¾ cup pumpkin seeds

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Moist Egg-Free Chocolate Cake

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Giant Chewy Chocolate Squash Cookie

That’s only the tip of the iceberg! I’ll soon share another article on my pantry essentials.
Have fun in the kitchen!
Katrine