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* 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
*Most brands contain anchovies.
1. Spray a baking sheet with a small amount of olive oil or line it with parchment paper.
2. In a large skillet, saute the onions and walnut in the oil over medium-high heat until the onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft and their juices begin to release, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, liquid aminos, water, wine, parsley, oregano and Worcestershire/tamarind sauce.
3. Remove from heat and place in a food processor; pulse about 30 seconds. Add cornflakes and chia seeds, and pulse about 15 seconds.
4. Place in a large bowl and work in the mashed potatoes using either a wooden spoon or clean hands. When the potatoes are well incorporated, roll into 6 balls.
5. Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the balls on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes; turn over and bake another 20 minutes.
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
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the chia seeds and 2 tbsp of the water until they begin to gel together. Let stand about 10 minutes.
2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the rest of the water, pumpkin, maple syrup, oil and chia seed mixture; whisk together really well. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon. Cover and let sit about 10 minutes in a warm place.
3. In the meantime, prepare toppings and sauce.
4. Press the dough onto a pizza pan or large cookie sheet and shape into a circle. Place sauce and toppings over the crust and bake in a 400°F oven until done, about 30 minutes.
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 Books
