Many recipes can be easily modified to become gluten free. Here is a collection of everyday meals and recipes with tips about how to modify them to become gluten free. The Coeliac NZ Crossed Grain Shopping Guide may be useful when looking for gluten-free alternatives to standard ingredients.
Spaghetti & Meatballs
- Meatballs
- Mince
- Breadcrumbs – Grind up toasted gluten free bread to make gluten free breadcrumbs. Freeze remaining breadcrumbs for later use.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Egg
- Fresh or dried Italian herbs – Check the label to make sure the brand you use is gluten free.
- Salt and pepper
- Tomato Sauce
- Red wine
- Beef stock – Check the label to make sure the brand you use is gluten free.
- Tinned tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Oregano
- Vinegar – Check the label to make sure the brand you use is gluten free. Malt vinegar is made from barley so is not gluten free.
- Brown sugar
- Spaghetti – Swap for gluten-free spaghetti. Cook as per instructions on the packet.
- Parmesan cheese
* This is a low-lactose meal.
** For a dairy-free meal, check the bread used is dairy free and leave out the parmesan cheese.
Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry
- Noodles
- Egg noodles – Replace with vermicelli, black bean or edamame spaghetti.
- Vegetable stock – Check label to make sure the brand you use is gluten free.
- Chicken Stir-Fry
- Chicken breasts
- Assorted vegetables
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Oil
- Hoisin sauce – Ready-made hoisin sauce typically contains wheat flour. To make your own hoisin sauce mix together gluten free soy sauce, honey, tahini, rice wine vinegar, a chilli sauce, crushed garlic and seasoning. Heat to combine and reduce the sauce. Cool before using. Different home-made hoisin sauce recipes can be found on the internet.
- Cashew nuts
* This is a low lactose meal.
** For a dairy free meal – check ingredients in the vegetable stock.
Summer BBQ
- Cheese & crackers – Replace wheat or oat-based crackers with gluten free varieties.
- Sausages – Currently there aren’t any pre-cooked sausages available. Look for gluten-free sausages and allow a longer cooking time.
- Bread – Replace the classic bread wrap with fresh corn cobs, crispy BBQ wedges or a starchy salad.
- Sautéed onions
- BBQ sauce – Check the label to make sure the brand you use is gluten-free.
- Pesto pasta salad – Replace wheat pasta with gluten-free pasta.
- Potato egg salad – Check the label to make sure the brand of mayonnaise you use is gluten free. Alternatively, make your own mayonnaise.
- Ice cream in a cone – Replace the ice cream cone with a colourful assortment of demitasse coffee cups. Check the ice cream is gluten free. Cookies & cream, chocolate brownie and cheesecake style ice creams are some of the flavours to watch out for.
* For a low-lactose meal, select low-lactose cheeses such as harvati, feta, hard cheddar and soft cheeses. Serve a fruit sorbet.
** For a dairy-free meal, replace the pesto with a dairy-free sun-dried tomato and cashew dip. Hummus, guacamole, dairy-free pates, sliced roasted capsicum, sun-dried tomatoes and a range of flavourful relishes can be provided as dairy-free toppings for crackers. Serve a fruit sorbet.
Margaret Thorson, registered dietitian and medical advisory panel member of CNZ
