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Gluten and soy allergies and intolerance are becoming more and more common as time goes on. Ingredients consisting of these two products appear in a huge variety of the foods Americans have come to love. Many of these foods are starting to appear in either gluten-free mixes (like pancakes or cornbread) or prepackaged goods (like bagels or cinnamon rolls). Unfortunately, these food products only exist in select health food stores and usually only in cities; furthermore, because of the scarcity, specialization, and demand of this type of food, their prices run strikingly high. A good alternative is making these foods from scratch. This method is cheaper and often turns out just as well as, or better than, the pre-mixed and prepackaged goods, especially with practice. But because eating at home is not always an option, having strategies for eating out is just as important as being prepared to eat well at home. Follow these steps as a thrifty survival guide for happy gluten and soy free eating.
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Signing UpStep 1Preparing to eat well at home
A. What you need for delicious homemade food
Just two essential items can transform almost any baked good into a gluten-free baked good. First is an alternative flour. Store bought gluten-free flour mixes can be expensive and come in small packages; instead, order your desired alternative flours online in larger quantities to have on hand and mix them yourself. To create an all-purpose flour, a mix between brown rice flour (2 parts), garbanzo bean flour (2 parts), and potato starch (1 part) work well, but other flours can be substituted as well, depending on personal taste. Sorghum flour is popular in store bought mixes, but the flavor is strong and may overtake your baked good.
The second essential item is xanthan gum, which is expensive as well, but less so if ordered online. Also, recipes only require a small amount at a time so any amount you purchase should last you a while. Because non-wheat flours cannot produce the same chemical reactions as wheat flour can in the baking process, xanthan gum fills part of this role by helping the ingredients stick together (otherwise, gluten-free food can became crumbly and fall apart easily). With these two ingredients, you are ready to convert almost all of your favorite recipes to gluten-free.
B. Deciding what to make
Once you have these ingredients on hand, deciding what to make is an important next step. You can meet many of your needs by eating naturally gluten-free foods, like yogurt, raw food, cheeses, etc, but in order to lead a less restricted life, learning how to make your other favorite foods is important. Some foods, like bread and pizza crust, require a lot of practice to get them to your desired consistency so buying them prepackaged might be a good idea (Udi's brand makes a good selection). However, other foods, like pie crust or gravy or cake, adjust well to gluten-free flours, and you might be better served both in terms of finances and expectations to make them from scratch. Especially in regards to confections, those individuals who have enjoyed gluten before expect baked goods to taste, look, and feel a certain way. Practicing and refining recipes in your own kitchen is the best way to meet these expectations.
C. The soy component
One last important step to living a healthy gluten-free lifestyle is to approach the issue that many who are allergic or intolerant to gluten are often allergic or intolerant to soy, as well. Many prepackaged foods do not yet address this fact and often include ingredients like soybean oil into their recipes, especially pizza crusts. Even many everyday foods that you would expect to be safe manage to include soy products. Therefore, the best way to be both soy and gluten free is to cook your own food. Nothing can beat that—not grocery stores, not restaurants. When you can control what goes into your food, you can take the utmost control of your health.
For example:
The two main ingredients in soy sauce, aside from water, are wheat and soy. Surprisingly, the following recipe is a great substitute for those allergic or intolerant to either ingredient.
Gluten and Soy free Soy Sauce
14-oz can beef broth (or 2 cups)
4 T balsamic vinegar
2 t dark molasses
¼ t ground ginger
¼ t garlic powder
2 t salt
½ t sesame oil (optional)
Combine ingredients, broth first, into a pot and simmer (aka, reduce) until about 1 cup remains. Then, remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and store in a container in the refrigerator until needed. If you want to take this sauce to a restaurant to replace their soy sauce (most restaurants respect this action), I suggest saving an old jar to use as a storage container, rather than a tupperware container, as those tend to leak. The jar shown below is an old curry paste container and is a convenient size.
Just two essential items can transform almost any baked good into a gluten-free baked good. First is an alternative flour. Store bought gluten-free flour mixes can be expensive and come in small packages; instead, order your desired alternative flours online in larger quantities to have on hand and mix them yourself. To create an all-purpose flour, a mix between brown rice flour (2 parts), garbanzo bean flour (2 parts), and potato starch (1 part) work well, but other flours can be substituted as well, depending on personal taste. Sorghum flour is popular in store bought mixes, but the flavor is strong and may overtake your baked good.
The second essential item is xanthan gum, which is expensive as well, but less so if ordered online. Also, recipes only require a small amount at a time so any amount you purchase should last you a while. Because non-wheat flours cannot produce the same chemical reactions as wheat flour can in the baking process, xanthan gum fills part of this role by helping the ingredients stick together (otherwise, gluten-free food can became crumbly and fall apart easily). With these two ingredients, you are ready to convert almost all of your favorite recipes to gluten-free.
B. Deciding what to make
Once you have these ingredients on hand, deciding what to make is an important next step. You can meet many of your needs by eating naturally gluten-free foods, like yogurt, raw food, cheeses, etc, but in order to lead a less restricted life, learning how to make your other favorite foods is important. Some foods, like bread and pizza crust, require a lot of practice to get them to your desired consistency so buying them prepackaged might be a good idea (Udi's brand makes a good selection). However, other foods, like pie crust or gravy or cake, adjust well to gluten-free flours, and you might be better served both in terms of finances and expectations to make them from scratch. Especially in regards to confections, those individuals who have enjoyed gluten before expect baked goods to taste, look, and feel a certain way. Practicing and refining recipes in your own kitchen is the best way to meet these expectations.
C. The soy component
One last important step to living a healthy gluten-free lifestyle is to approach the issue that many who are allergic or intolerant to gluten are often allergic or intolerant to soy, as well. Many prepackaged foods do not yet address this fact and often include ingredients like soybean oil into their recipes, especially pizza crusts. Even many everyday foods that you would expect to be safe manage to include soy products. Therefore, the best way to be both soy and gluten free is to cook your own food. Nothing can beat that—not grocery stores, not restaurants. When you can control what goes into your food, you can take the utmost control of your health.
For example:
The two main ingredients in soy sauce, aside from water, are wheat and soy. Surprisingly, the following recipe is a great substitute for those allergic or intolerant to either ingredient.
Gluten and Soy free Soy Sauce
14-oz can beef broth (or 2 cups)
4 T balsamic vinegar
2 t dark molasses
¼ t ground ginger
¼ t garlic powder
2 t salt
½ t sesame oil (optional)
Combine ingredients, broth first, into a pot and simmer (aka, reduce) until about 1 cup remains. Then, remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and store in a container in the refrigerator until needed. If you want to take this sauce to a restaurant to replace their soy sauce (most restaurants respect this action), I suggest saving an old jar to use as a storage container, rather than a tupperware container, as those tend to leak. The jar shown below is an old curry paste container and is a convenient size.
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Yours looks cheaper, though.
I think I'll try it. I wonder if my sushi restaurant would be offended by home-brought sauce.
My dietitian did give me a pass on soy sauce, as long as I used tamari...
The only time anyone in a sushi restaurant even commented on our home-brought sauce, it was to say they wished we had asked for the gluten-free menu. So hopefully it will go as smoothly for you!
Good luck!