Gluten-Free + Fi !

Gluten Free + Fi (Sofia)

I discovered I had an allergy to gluten my senior year of college. Although I wasn’t born with celiac disease, I developed the inability to properly and painlessly digest gluten containing products -unbeknownst to me. After a while, I found myself experiencing constant stomach pain, bloating, fatigue, and a decent amount of brain fog. After much resistance to the possibility that I could, in fact, have a problem processing the delicious glutinous foods, I decided to cut gluten from my diet entirely after meeting with my doctor, and since that day I never looked back.

Before I continue, it’s important to clarify that if you don’t actually have a negative reaction to gluten, then becoming gluten-free, is not necessarily going to benefit you. Sure, if you cut out donuts and pizza, you might find yourself in better shape; however, but if you are swapping regular donuts with gluten-free donuts, the GF version is certainly not a healthier option. In fact, many gluten-free replacements contain a higher percentage of fats and sugars to maintain the same consistency as its glutinous counterparts. Visit www.celiac.org to fact check me.

Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together.

The tricky thing about being gluten-free is realizing that gluten is in some products one would never expect. For example, soy sauce, some salad dressings, even some oatmeal brands aren’t completely GF due to processing and cross contamination! This makes eating and buying food more difficult because you’ll either need to call ahead and see if they have a gluten free alternative, or do some research before you put that Frozen fried rice in your cart at the store... One of my favorite dishes is Chicken fried rice. I use: Kikkoman’s Gluten Free soy sauce and literally cannot taste the difference. Chicken fried rice is so yummy filling, comforting, and a great way to sneak in veggies!

All my Gluten-Free + Fi recipes are generally easy to make, affordable and either can be made in bulk to meal prep, for those of us who are too busy to function… or can be made in the perfect amount to devour in one sitting. Here are my favorite Gluten- Free + Fi Foods!

GLUTEN- FREE CHICKEN FRIED RICE:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil, Divided

• 2 large Eggs

• 1/4 cup Water

• Salt and Pepper

• 1/2 tablespoon Dark Sesame Oil (Optional)

• 1 1/2 cups Chicken Breast, Sliced into thin strips, about 10 ounces

• 3/4 cup Chopped Onion, About half a small onion

• 1 tablespoon Minced Fresh Garlic

• 4 cups Cooked Brown Rice, Cold, 1 cup uncooked makes 4 cups

• 1/2 cup Green Onions, Sliced

• 1 cup carrots/peas or frozen mixed vegetable medley

• 3 tablespoons Kikkoman’s Gluten Free Soy Sauce

• * option to add celery

PREP:

In a large saucepan, defrost the frozen mixed veggies slowly on low heat.

In a small pan, bring water to bowl to cook the brown rice.

Place sliced chicken strips into sauce to marinate with gluten free soy sauce, a squeeze of lemon if you have it.

NOW WE’RE COOKIN’:

In another large saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, water, and a pinch of salt and pepper

Pour the eggs into the pan with oil and cook until the top begins to set, about 3 minutes. Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the top of the eggs are completely set, and begin to bubble, about 2-3 minutes. Flip the eggs onto a plate or cutting board to let them cool.

Optional * Add sesame oil and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and turn to medium-high heat. Add the sliced chicken and cook until the chicken is golden brown on the outside. Add in the onion and garlic and turn the heat down to medium. Cook until the onions are golden brown and then season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

• Add in the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil,

• Add in the followed brown rice and green onions. Mix

• Add in cooked veggies (once frozen)

• Cook, stirring occasionally until the lightly browned and heated through. Then, slice the eggs into very thin strips and mix into the rice.

• Season to taste with soy sauce, top with extra green onions, or sesame seeds as you like!

GLUTEN-FREE CAULIFLOWER PIZZA

Crust: https://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/cauliflower-pizza-crust

INGREDIENTS:

CAULIFLOWER, CORN FLOUR, WATER, CORNSTARCH, POTATO STARCH, OLIVE OIL, SALT. MAY CONTAIN TRACES OF MILK.

This recipe is so simple:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place cust upside down on a sheet pan. Bake 10-12 minutes, flip crust over and bake another 10-12 minutes.

2. Coat crust Using any kind of pizza sauce you like…

3. Pack on the toppings! I like to use:

   1. Basil

   2. Sliced tomatoes

   3. Grilled peppers (which you can buy frozen from trader joes)

   4. Onions

   5. Cauliflower (which you can buy frozen from trader joes)

   6. Garlic

   7. LITERALLY ANY VEGETABLE YOU LIKE!

4. Then place pizza back in oven and bake or broil for another 5 minutes or so. If you’d like, add a little parm or mozzarella to the top, and season to taste!

For a crisper crust, broil an additional 4-5 minutes or until browned. Top crust with desired toppings and broil another 4-5 minutes until browned and sauce is bubbling.

I’ll be adding more recipes to this blog, so be on the lookout!

*Did you know Gluten is also found in make-up products, which came as a shocker for me, but after experiencing bad reactions to several foundations, I decided to do a little research… stay tuned for my next blog where I’ll be sharing my favorite gluten free beauty products!

If you have a favorite dish that you want me to make gluten free, please leave a comment, or reach out to me VIA my contact page. Thanks for reading!

As always... Embrace the quirks, not the smirks!

xoxoxo

Sofia