One of the most difficult things about a dietary changeover is the idea of giving up those foods you love the most.
“We all crave certain foods. At times, we want a meal or dessert that is quick and easy to fix and at other times, we want something that nourishes us,” says Susan O’Brien, a healthy eating coach and cooking instructor who has authored a series of books on gluten-free eating.
One of them,Gluten-Free Vegan Comfort Food (Da Capo Press), was written in response to O’Brien’s readers looking for ways to transform comfort foods into gluten-free vegan treats, such as the recipes for meatballs and pizza crust shown here.
Meatless Meatballs
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4-1 cup chopped raw walnuts
2/3 cup finely chopped onions
2 cups chopped and cleaned mushrooms
1/2 tsp minced garlic (1 clove)
1 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp red wine
1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. or tamarind sauce
1/4 cup finely crushed gluten-free cornflakes
1 tsp chia seeds whisked together with 2 tbsp warm water
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.Most brands contain anchovies.
Yields: 6 meatballs
Pumpkin Pizza Crust
1 tsp chia seeds
1 cup warm water, divided
1 tsp yeast
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp guar gum
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup cooked canned pumpkin
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
Yields: one 9” to 10” pizza crust
Source for both recipes:Gluten-Free Vegan Comfort Food by Susan O’Brien. Reprinted courtesy of Da Capo Lifelong BooksLike this article? You’ll love our weekly newsletter
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**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.