You don’t need to throw out your cookbooks. Use this list as a guide, you can easily convert any “normal” recipe into a grain-free, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free or anything else free with a little bit of know-how.
Instead of Pasta or Noodles
Zoodles – use a spiralizer to make long noodles out of zucchini.
Spaghetti Squash – Once cooked (roasted) you can use a fork to scrape out the long spaghetti tendrils.
Konjac noodles – made from Konjac Yam these noodles are now easy to find in most grocery and supermarkets. Basically just pure fibre and water, they have virtually no calories and no carbs.
Bean Vermicelli – made from mung beans, from the Asian/noodle section of Coles/Woolworths or from Asian Grocers. Make sure you buy the one with just bean and water (some brands add cornstarch)
Buckwheat Pasta – read the label and make sure it is 100% buckwheat.
Instead of Rice
Cauliflower rice is hard to beat or
Quinoa – not technically a grain, although it looks and acts like one. Available from health food stores or the health food section of larger supermarkets
Instead of Cous Cous
Cauliflower rice or
Quinoa – not technically a grain, although it looks and acts like one. Available from health food stores or the health food section of larger supermarkets
Instead of Bread
Make your own or use vegetable slices instead like grilled eggplant or lettuce leaves.
Instead of Breadcrumbs
Almond Meal (this really works well) OR grain-free Breadcrumbs. Put some grain free bread through the blender.
Instead of Sugar
Stevia – experiment with quantity as the strength of stevia can vary from brand to brand and it gets a weird aftertaste if you use too much. OR Xylitol or monk fruit sweetener.
Maple syrup, honey and cooked mashed sweet fruits or root vegetables also work well when baking cakes.
Instead of Gravy/Thickeners
Use Potato starch or arrowroot to thicken sauces and gravy, konjac powder or gelatin
Instead of Flour – plain
For sweet recipes, I use 1 part almond meal, 1 part potato starch.
OR NUT FREE – For each cup use 3/4 cup of Quinoa Flour and 1/4 cup of arrowroot or potato flour. Or use equal parts quinoa, buckwheat and arrowroot or potato flour (this mix tastes the best I think)
NUT FREE PALEO – Use Cassava Flour or 1 part Cassava, 1 part Potato Starch. You can also use coconut flour but as it is so different in how it reacts to moisture it is better to use coconut flour in recipes specifically designed for it.
Instead of Flour – self-raising
For each cup of flour as 1/2 teaspoon of bicarb and 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar.
Instead of Pastry
Make your own. This website has some good versions. Sometimes thinly sliced vegetables can work well too such as zucchini, or eggplant.
Instead of Egg
A Flaxseed or Chia egg is ideal – 1 tablespoon chia or flaxseed to 3 tablespoon water, let sit for 15 minutes. Otherwise, it depends on what you are cooking. Eggs act first as a binding agent and secondly as fats (the yolk) and liquid. You can often just add a little more fat and a little more liquid. Then look at what you can use as a binding agent. Good binding agents can be butter, arrowroot or potato starch, mashed banana or pumpkin. See recipes for more info.
Instead of Burghal in Tabouli
Use Quinoa instead of Burghal. No will tell the difference. Hemp seed also works, as does raw cauliflower rice.