How to Easily Make Any Recipe Gluten-Free - Guest Post by Bridgette Sandorford

How to Easily Make Any Recipe Gluten-Free

Eating a gluten-free diet can be difficult: There seems to be gluten in just about all your favorite foods! Yet you know you can't eat gluten, either because you have  a sensitivity or because you are trying to eat an overall healthier diet that is lower in carbs.

You don't have to resign yourself to eating broccoli and lettuce for every meal. You can enjoy many of your favorites by making some simple substitutions. Here are a few ideas for how you can make any recipe gluten-free:

Substitute the Flour

The primary ingredient in most recipes that contains gluten is the flour. You can easily fix this by substituting a gluten-free flour in the recipe. Some options may include:

• Almond flour
• Coconut flour

You will have to experiment with the ratios as you may not be able to substitute these flours one-for-one for typical all-purpose flour.

Opt for Flourless

You can get around the problem of the flour by omitting it from the recipe completely. Of course, this won't be an option for many dishes. However, you can easily find recipes online for flourless cake (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/flourless-chocolate-cake-ii/), flourless brownies (http://www.homemademommy.net/2013/01/flourless-brownies.html) and flourless cookies (http://babyparenting.about.com/od/snackrecipes/r/3ingpbcookies.htm). Search online to find flourless options of your favorite desserts.

Swap Out the Breadcrumbs

Sweet foods aren't the only ones harboring gluten. Savory fried treats often use breadcrumbs and batters that contain gluten. You can still enjoy crispy fried chicken and fish by making some simple swaps. You can use crushed nuts like almonds or make crumbs out of a gluten-free cereal. You can also bake instead of fry, which will make the dish healthier, as well.

Use Gluten-Free Condiments

Sauces and marinades like teriyaki, alfredo, or marsala can contain hidden gluten. There are ingredients that are added to thicken the sauces or to give them flavor, and these often contain gluten. You can easily swap these out for gluten-free varieties that you find in the grocery store. Just be sure to always read the labels! Yeast and "natural flavors" are found in a lot of these items.

Use Alternative Core Ingredients

You can enjoy "pasta" that's not really pasta and put a sandwich on a "bun" that's not really a bun. Try using spaghetti squash or spiralizing a zucchini for a healthy, gluten-free pasta dish, or wrap up your sandwich in a piece of lettuce instead of a bun. You'll have a naturally gluten-free dish that doesn't require any recipe substitutions or experiments.

Eating gluten-free doesn't have to be difficult. You can easily make any recipe gluten-free by simply following these basic tips.

How do you make recipes gluten-free? Share your tips in the comments!

About the Author:

Bridget Sandorford is a freelance food and culinary writer, where recently she’s been researching culinary arts schools in Michigan. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.