Gluten and dairy alternatives, and sandwhich fillings
October 31st 2009 02:43
Hi everyone, this week I answer a couple of readers’ questions. Keep the questions rolling in because I really appreciate it and gives you an opportunity to learn something that is relevant to you.
Question one: Can you please suggest some dairy and gluten alternatives?
Dairy alternatives
Instead of cow’s milk you can try soy, rice, oat or almond milk. Soy milk is high in protein and has a distinctive taste, but it is good for baking and cooking. Almond milk is high in protein, vitamin E and healthy fats and blends well with other flavours. Unfortunately, nuts and soy are commons allergens so they may not be suitable for some people. You can get oat milk, which has a moderate levels of protein and has a nutty flavour but it isn’t good for people with celiac disease. Rice milk is quite sweet, but it’s quite watery and low in protein which makes a less than adequate alternative to cow’s milk.
You can get soy alternatives to cheese, cream cheese, yoghurt, and ice cream. You can also try sorbet if you don’t like the idea of soy ice cream. Check the labels for foods that contain dairy as food manufactuers add dairy to a wide variety of food including chips. Also, check for lactose, which is a form of sugar that is found in milk.
Gluten
Gluten is a wheat protein, which is a common allergen and many people are intolerant to it. It is found in a wide variety of foods including, but not limited to the following:
* Wheat
* Barley, barley malt, barley flour
* Rye
* Oats
* Wheat flour
* Einkorn
* Spelt
* Semolina
* Durum
* Bulgar or Bulghar
* Kamut
* Cracker meal
* Couscous
* Tabbouleh
* Malt, unless specified as being made from a non-gluten source (such as corn).
Check for gluten because it is often found in unlikely foods like sauages. You can get gluten free bread, which are labelled as such. You get rice, potato and corn flour as alternatives to wheat flour, which contains gluten. You can get gluten free pasta and rice noodles, which don’t have gluten. Try rice crackers and wafers. Try amaranth (often sold as flour), buckwheat, millet (like rice and can be made into flour), quinoa (made into pasta), teff (made into flatbread), or wild rice.
Question two: Do you have any interesting sandwich suggestions?
Yes I do. Sandwiches are probably of the cheapest, depending on what you put in them, and most convenient, versatile meal you can make. And they don’t have to be dull. No longer will you have to stick to boring old Marmite or ham sandwiches because I have a few sandwich fillings for you.
* Chutney, avocado and cheese sandwich
Fill up your sandwich with chutney, chargrilled peppers, sliced avocado and cheese.
* Cucumber sandwich
Place thinly slice cucumber on wholegrain bread spread with low fat mayonnaise.
* Egg and mayonnaise
To make two sandwiches, boil up an egg, remove the shell, mash up and add some low fat mayonnaise. Mix together and spread on bread.
* Cheese and pickle sandwiches
Slice up some cheese and a few pickles (onions or gerkins) and place them on some grainy bread.
* Peanut butter and carrot sandwiches
Combine 1/2 cup of peanut butter, ¼ cup shredded baby carrots, 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds, 3 tablespoons of currants, 2 tablespoons of honey in a bowl and spread onto 4 slices of whole grain bread to make 8 sandwiches.
* Fruit sandwiches
Combine a ¼ cup of cottage cheese, ½ cup of soft low fat cream cheese with pineapple, 1/3 cup of chopped dried fruit and spread the mixture on 4 slices of brown bread.
* Tasty tuna sandwiches
Combine a can of tuna, one red pepper, and three green onions, thinly sliced in medium bowl. In small bowl, combine one cup of parmesan cheese, ½ cup of low fat mayonnaise, two tablespoons of Dijon mustard, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and one teaspoon of basil leaves and blend well. Add to tuna mixture and blend. Cover and refrigerate tightly up to 2 days.
If you have any questions, then please email me at nutrition.advice@gmail.com or leave your questions here.
Krissi
| 46 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
