What Can I Eat on a Grain-Free Diet?
Following a Grain-Free Diet
Last week I shared that I have been following a grain-free diet for the last 6 months and how it has helped me with some of my persistent health problems. I have been feeling so much better and I have also learned a lot about what grains do to our bodies. After much trial and error, I am ready to make it a part of my blog now so that I can help others if they are looking for a tool that may help them in their health journey.
Over the years, I have tried many, many diets including gluten-free, whole30 and Paleo, but the problem is that you have to give it time for your body to heal while also learning how to manage it with your lifestyle. If you feel like going cold turkey, it’s like ripping a bandaid off, but there are going to be times when you are so sick of it you want to throw in the towel or have a “cheat” day. The thing is, those are the most important times to push through and continue.
Food is Emotional For Me
In the past, I would get emotional and give up. Food is comfort and memories for me. This time, I held my “why” out in front of me like a carrot and pushed through the hard times. My “why” was a healthier me who could wake up in the morning, have fewer headaches and migraines, fewer stomach issues, a healthier weight, and better mental health and clarity. I imagined what it could feel like to get through the day without feeling like it took everything I had. I want to be everything my family needs and wants AND everything that I aspire to. Admittedly, I am not fully there yet, but I am much further along than ever before.
Month after month I have been amazed at how I continue to notice changes that I never noticed before because I had never truly followed through. I have also accidentally ingested some grains and suffered the consequences. It can take days to get back to baseline and it has shown me that “cheating” is not worth it. I am not telling anyone that this is THE answer to their problems, but I do want to encourage anyone who feels like I did/do to continue looking for the answer.
Staying on Track
One of the main things that helped keep me on track was alternative ingredients for our favorite recipes. Things like regular flour, rice, and store-bought snacks became off-limits, but I needed to be able to make food that everyone would eat and make me feel less isolated at the dinner table. Finding specifically grain-free recipes led me to the best swaps to make food taste good and attain the right mouth feel (super important). I took time before starting to find alternatives and new or adjusted recipes, and planned a menu for a couple of weeks including snack options and desserts. I wanted the transition to be as easy as possible. Below are some of my favorite alternatives and swaps.
Top Grain-Free Alternatives for Cooking
1. Rice- Cauliflower Rice
• What it is: Finely chopped cauliflower that resembles rice in texture.
• How to use: Perfect for stir-fries, pilafs, or as a base for curries and bowls.
2. Noodles- Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles)
• What it is: Spiralized zucchini or thin slices are a fantastic replacement for traditional pasta.
• How to use: Toss with sauces, stir-fries, or bake into casseroles.
3. Corn or Flour tortillas – Coconut or Casava Flour Tortillas
• What it is: Tortillas made from coconut or cassava flour, which is rich in fiber and naturally grain and gluten-free.
• How to use: Use for tacos, wraps, or quesadillas.
4. Toast or Crusts – Sweet Potato or Butternut Squash Slices
• What it is: Thinly sliced sweet potatoes or squash baked or grilled.
• How to use: Use as a base for mini pizzas or as a sandwich substitute.
Grain-Free Flours for Baking
Baking without grains opens up a world of exciting possibilities. Here are the top grain-free and diet-approved flours to try:
1. Almond Flour
• What it is: Ground almonds, fine and nutty in texture.
• How to use: Ideal for cookies, muffins, cakes, and crusts.
2. Coconut Flour
• What it is: Dried coconut meat ground into a fine powder.
• How to use: Great for pancakes, bread, and desserts—but remember, it absorbs a lot of liquid, so use it sparingly!
3. Cassava Flour
• What it is: Made from the root of the cassava plant, it has a neutral flavor.
• How to use: Works well for tortillas, brownies, and cakes.
4. Arrowroot Powder
• What it is: A starch derived from tropical plants.
• How to use: Use as a thickener for sauces or combine with other flours for baking.
5. Tapioca Flour
• What it is: A starchy flour extracted from the cassava root.
• How to use: Perfect for creating chewy textures in bread or as a thickener in pies and sauces.
*Blend Flours: Combining different grain-free flours (like almond and coconut) can help achieve the perfect texture for your baked goods.
*Experiment with Ratios: Grain-free flours often behave differently than traditional flours. Be prepared to tweak liquid and egg ratios in your recipes.
*Stock Up on Pantry Staples: Ingredients like eggs, nut butters, and applesauce are essential for binding and adding moisture to grain-free recipes.
Don’t Sacrifice Taste
Cooking and baking without grains doesn’t mean sacrificing your favorite dishes. With the wide range of grain-free alternatives available, you can enjoy everything from fluffy pancakes to hearty casseroles, It just takes some getting used to. I recommend omitting most bread or pasta dishes for a couple of weeks. Focus on eating meat, veggies, and fruit only and get the comfort food out of your mind. Then once you have distanced yourself from those things for a while, you can start to experiment with baking alternatives. The mouthfeel isn’t quite the same, but it’s delicious if you aren’t comparing it to the dreamy bread you just ate.
I am planning on bringing new recipes to the blog and more anecdotal and scientific evidence to back up what I am doing. When I am learning something new like this, I like to hear about other people’s experiences with it, so I want to do the same here.
Are you interested in trying a grain-free lifestyle? Comment below with questions or let me know what might prevent you from taking the leap.