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    Healthy Comfort Food

    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.

    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

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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.

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