Today we’re going to take a look at some of the best gluten, dairy, and egg free recipes I’ve made. When managing food allergies and other dietary restrictions, it’s so easy to lose sight of what’s possible, and think that you’ll never have amazing food again.
Let me tell you, loud and clear: delicious recipes are on the menu. It may take a little elbow grease, or getting used to doing things a new way. However, it’s more than possible, and over time you’ll develop a great workflow and feel like a total pro in your free-from kitchen.
First, we’re going to take a look at how to stock your gluten, dairy, and egg free pantry. I’ll also share the gluten free flours I personally use, then it’s on to recipes galore.
Stocking Your Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free Pantry
If you’re new to looking for free-from ingredients at the grocery store, this list of foods is a great starting point. Whilst it’s not an exhaustive list, it will absolutely get you started.
- Almond Products (almond milk, blanched almond flour, natural almond flour, etc.)
- Coconut Products (coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut flour, coconut oil, coconut aminos, etc.)
- Gluten-Free Bread (it should freeze well and you should love it)
- Gluten-Free Oats (if you can tolerate oats, about 25% of those with Celiac Disease can’t have oats)
- Gluten Free Flours (you can purchase an AP flour blend, or buy individual gluten free flours to blend at home)
- Rice Products (rice milk, rice flour, rice cakes, wild rice, etc.)
- Liquid Sweeteners (date syrup, honey, pure maple syrup, etc.)
- Granulated Sweeteners (cane sugar, date sugar, coconut sugar, maple sugar, etc.)
- Canned Goods (black beans, cannellini beans, pinto beans, tomato sauce, etc.)
- Frozen Vegetables (green beans, broccoli, peas, carrots, corn, cauliflower, etc.)
- Acids (lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, etc.)
- Cooking Fats (olive oil, avocado oil, tiger nut oil, tallow, vegan butter, etc.)
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper (these are very basic and the bare minimum to stock)
- Seasonings Galore (by galore, I mean buy them all, also experiment with fresh herbs from time to time)
- Umami Ingredients (mushroom powder, fish sauce, etc.)
- Salad Dressing (these can make for a great dipping experience)
- Condiments (ketchup, mustard, etc.)
- Spreads & Butters (almond butter, peanut butter, etc.)
- Dairy Free Plant-Based Milk (soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, flax seed milk, etc., can also be homemade like mine)
- Ground Meat & Easy Cooking Proteins (ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey, ground chicken, chicken thigh, etc.)
- Egg Free Mayo (there are several to choose from, including this top 14 allergy free option)
- Fresh Veggies (onions, bell peppers, white potato, sweet potato)
- Flaxseed Meal and Chia Seed Meal (for baking)
Related Article: Gluten Free & Allergy Friendly Carbohydrates
Gluten-Free Grains to Purchase
For those who are like me and can’t use an all purpose gluten free flour for one reason or another, here’s a list of flours I just love to keep on hand.
- Arrowroot (called both starch and flour, it’s the same thing)
- Almond Flour (both blanched and natural)
- Brown Rice Flour, White Rice Flour, Sweet Rice Flour
- Buckwheat Flour (yes, this is gluten free, despite the name)
- Cassava Flour
- Millet Flour
- Oat Flour (GF, Purity Protocol)
- Potato Starch
- Sorghum Flour
- Tapioca Starch
- Tiger Nut Flour (tuber, not a tree nut)
Where possible, each of my flours is superfine, as these are better for baking.
Tasty Breakfast Recipes
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so let’s start there. To make breakfasts more well rounded for my kids, I’ll often put frozen vegetables and a frozen protein of choice (like these homemade breakfast sausages) on a tray and heat those in the oven whilst making the main feature. This allows my kids to have start the day out with a good amount of balance, but also without me having to do too much extra work.
- GF, DF, EF French Toast (perfect for Saturday mornings)
- Basic Fluffy Pancake Recipe (such a great breakfast option, top 9 allergy free)
- Spinach Muffins (one of my kids will eat 4 or 5 in one setting they’re so good)
- Fluffy Lemon Egg Free Pancake Recipe (these are super fluffy, top 9 free, and there’s a step-by-step video to watch as well)
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Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free Recipes for the Entire Family
When your whole family gets together, perhaps for special occasions, these are delicious recipes that you can serve up without anyone noticing they’re free-from.
- Easy Dutch Oven Peanut Chicken Recipe (one RAISE Member has been serving this to her whole family without allergies and they’re in love)
- Dutch Oven Lasagna Soup (it’s amazing lasagna, but with less work involved, and a real crowd pleaser)
- Chicken Noodle Soup Flavored Rice (my tasters can’t get enough of this)
- Amazing Bacon Smash Burgers
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Allergy Friendly Sheet Pan Meals
Sheet pan meals, in my humble opinion are a must make. When you’re managing dietary restrictions, it’s so important that you know how to make quick and easy meals that are not only safe and delicious, but also quick. Without an arsenal of easy meals, you’ll burn out, especially if shared equipment isn’t an option. So, here are some incredibly delicious recipes that you can make without too much effort:
- Beef and Broccoli Sheet Pan Dinner
- Italian Potato & Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
- Easy BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
- Candied Salmon & Potatoes Sheet Pan Dinner
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Gluten, Dairy, & Egg Free Snack Recipes
For kids and adults who love to snack, here are some great recipes. Many of these are also an opportunity to add more nutrition to the day (for those who need it). For example, you can boost the nutrition of a homemade granola bar by adding some chia seeds or flax seeds. They’re easy to mix in and generally go unnoticed, but are a great source of fiber, omega, vitamins, and minerals.
- Baked Chocolate Bars (Enjoy Life Cocoa Loco Copycat Recipe, they’ve discontinued this product)
- Top 9 Allergy Free Granola Bars
- Double Chocolate Muffins
- Almond & Oat Granola Bars
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Quick & Delicious Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Recipes
These allergy-friendly recipes are not only mega delicious, but they don’t take a long time to cook, making them perfect for busy weeknights.
- Tomato Free Pork & Pea Ragu (great with rice, pasta, quinoa, and other carbohydrates you enjoy)
- Sesame & Soy Free Pork Stir Fry
- Tomato & Bacon Pasta Recipe
- Simple Pressure Cooker Pork (jazz this up with a sauce, serve with veggies and a carb, great for lunch boxes as well)
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Hearty Soups to Warm You Up
One of the biggest soup tips I can give you: get yourself a pressure cooker or multi-function cooker. Making richly flavoured soups is so easy with a pressure cooker, which in turn makes your free-from life better.
- Parsnip & Carrot Soup
- Pressure Cooker Chicken & Cabbage Soup (this is a great recipe for days when you don’t have the desire to cook much)
- Mushroom Soup
- Dairy Free Chicken Curry Soup (pressure cooker)
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Creamy Gluten + Egg + Dairy-Free Diet Recipes
If you think you can’t have a creamy texture without milk products, think again. These recipes more than prove that you can have great texture, and a creamy mouthfeel all whilst keeping it free-from.
- Creamy Gourmet Pasta Recipe
- Dutch Oven Sweet & Spicy Bacon Mac n Cheese
- Creamy Eggplant & Rice Recipe
- Apple Parmesan Pasta Recipe (don’t let the apple fool you, this is savory and delicious)
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Toddler Friendly Gluten, Dairy, and Egg-Free Recipes
If you’re feeding a toddler with food allergies, here are a few recipes I think you’ll love. You can also check out my gluten free + top 9 allergy free toddler cookbook for more toddler inspiration and recipes.
- Lemon Poppy Muffins
- Banana Bread (also tastes great with chocolate chips)
- Broccoli Mac n Cheese
- Creamy Purple Cabbage & Rice (the colour can be so fun for little ones)
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Gluten Free + Vegan Recipes to Enjoy
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or enjoying a Meatless Monday, here are some delicious recipes that are not only gluten free, but also vegan and top 9 allergy free.
- Oven Roasted Veg Fried Rice
- Legume Free Dutch Oven Potato Curry Stew
- Vegan 3 Bean Chili (one of my kids says this is the perfect comfort food and loves eating this with chips)
- Nut Free, Top 9 Allergy Free Queso
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Nutrient Dense Recipes
Many people ask me about healthy meals and the thing is, the term healthy isn’t a universally defined word. A particular recipe could be healthy to one person and unhealthy to the next. I prefer to focus on nutrient density, meaning the recipe is loaded with a range of vegetables, and thereby loaded with vitamins, minerals, and more. Here are recipes that you’ll probably consider healthy meals, and I can tell you, even kids love them.
- Nutrient Dense Ragu
- Vegan Eggplant Pasta Bake
- Vegetable Harvest Pasta Sauce (I’m told this tastes like Chef Boyardee in the best way possible, and without the weird aftertaste)
- Asian Inspired Creamy Rice with Vegetables
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Simple Dinner Recipes
Don’t let the simple ingredients in these recipes fool you. They’re all very delicious recipes, and honestly, that’s one of my goals. If I can help simple ingredients shine and still deliver safe and delicious meals at dinner time, well then, that’s my cue to mic drop. Or maybe spoon drop? Something like that.
- Easy Oven Roasted Chicken & Vegetables
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Bites (start your rice cooker at the same time for an easy hands off carb)
- Easy Mango Chicken & Rice
- Spicy Beef Curry Pasta Recipe
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Side Dish Recipes: All Gluten, Dairy, and Egg Free
A side dish can be a great way to help bring your dish together and unite the individual parts. Or it can be a great way to just eat more of the foods you love. Either way, here are a few side dish recipes my kids love.
- Silky Smooth Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Sautéed Vegetables (this pairs so well with a range of main dishes)
- Allium Free Potato Salad
- Rice Pilaf
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Fried Food: Yes, There are Awesome Recipes for That as Well
My kids are like all others and will happily eat fried food. What’s amazing to me is that even though these recipes are gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and top 9 allergy free, my kids have declared several as their favorite meal. Plus, tasters without food allergies go wild for these recipes.
- Duck Nuggets (my kids will legit fight over who gets the last few on the serving plate… it’s ridiculous)
- Dairy Free Garlic Parmesan Fried Chicken Wings
- The Best Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Egg Free Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
- Top 9 Free Orange Chicken
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Gluten, Egg, and Dairy-Free Desserts to Enjoy
This collection of recipes are my kids’ all time favorite desserts.
- Banana Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Candy Cookie Recipe
- Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
- Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies (this is the recipe from the award winning bakery I owned and operated for years, and customers adored these cookies)
- Easy Gluten Free Vanilla Sheet Pan Cake Recipe (this is a great recipe to start with if it’s your first time baking free-from)
- Cherry Glazed Vanilla Baked Donuts
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Lunch Inspiration& Ideas
As we come to an end of the delicious food pics that I’m sure have made some of you hungry, I wanted to show you some free-from lunch boxes as well. An easy way to make a quick lunch is to take your gluten, dairy, and egg free dinner leftovers and pack it in a small container for a lunch box.
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Managing a Mixed Allergy Household (Tips)
If you have several family members at home with different food allergies and food intolerances, that can lead to a huge struggle in the kitchen, especially if shared equipment isn’t an option. I’ve quite literally walked 10,000 miles in your shoes having managed just that, and needing not one, not two, but three full sets of cooking equipment because of shared equipment.
The biggest tip I can give you: cook for the greatest common denominator as often as possible. There will be times that due to a medical condition you won’t be able to do that (I’ve been there as well), but the GCD will make your life easier. There will be some components that you’ll double up on, usually due to cost, but outside of that, try to get everyone on the same page.
I can’t suggest the Advanced Recipe Search enough for this scenario. You can use more than 100 filters for dietary restrictions to find delicious recipes that meet all of your needs in one go.
My next big tip: batch cook and freeze like your life depends on it. I kid you not, without batch cooking, I would have lost my mind when my kids were little. It’s truly a game changer because you’re essentially manufacturing your own safe version of fast food. It can also save you time and money over the course of a year.
Finally, make sure you’re aware of cross-contact (sometimes called cross-contamination) and how to keep your kitchen safe for everyone.
Need meal planning help? Download my free meal plan in the downloads area of the website. In fact, there are are several included, all gluten free and allergy friendly.
Answering Your Gluten, Dairy, and Egg Free Questions
Are gluten-free oats OK for someone with Celiac Disease?
About 25% of people with Celiac Disease aren’t able to consume oats in any form, including gluten-free Purity Protocol oats (that’s as clean as they come). Unfortunately, there’s no way to know which boat you’re in until you trial gluten-free oats.
Work with your medical team to find out if a trial would be in your best interest, then get gluten-free oats from either Zego Foods or GF Harvest (both are Purity Protocol). If you fail that trial, you’re in the 25% group and can’t have oats.
Does my gluten free flour blend need to have xanthan gum or guar gum?
For at-home baking, no, it’s not necessary. In fact, if you’re following an easy recipe, there’s a good chance they won’t call for xanthan gum or guar gum. Usually, these gums are used in commercial settings. Gums and other select ingredients are used in gluten free baking and sometimes vegan baking as a way to create a better texture in the final baked goods. These ingredients can also affect the freezing and thawing of gluten free baked goods.
I’ve developed hundreds of recipes without either gum and people rave about the final baked goods. Just know that if you start with a highly rated recipe that doesn’t call for guar gum or xanthan gum, things should turn out fine. If you’re following a recipe that calls for one of these gums and you decide to leave it out, there’s a good chance you’ll have different results when compared to what the recipe developer had.
If you’d like to purchase an all purpose flour without the gums, Better Batter sells gluten free, vegan, and allergy friendly GF flour, and last I checked, their Artisan Blend is gum free. Also! If you have a corn allergy, you shouldn’t purchase flours that have xanthan gum. Whilst guar gum is legume derived, xanthan gum is corn derived 99.9% of the time. There are a few other sources, but most manufacturers are using the corn derived variety.
Is full-fat coconut milk a good milk to cook with?
This isn’t the best dairy-free milk to cook with regularly and that’s because of the fat content. For those managing a dairy allergy, I suggest cooking with pretty much anything but full-fat coconut milk. If you need coconut milk, get the boxed version instead which is more watery and has a fat content that’s more in line with all other dairy free milk options available.
If you’re making a Thai dish though, please use your full-fat coconut milk as it’s a traditional ingredient for Thai food (and a few other cuisines), and adds an amazing richness to your sauce.
Does anyone sell a good gluten free sourdough bread that’s also dairy and egg free?
Yes! I love sharing the two brands Bread SRSLY and Young Kobras to pretty much anyone who will listen. Bread SRSLY has a dedicated facility which is a dream for anyone following a gluten-free diet and wants to avoid all possible cross-contact. You’ll need to check with Young Kobras on their facility and equipment.
If you ever want to try making your own gluten free sourdough bread at home, check out the resources and course from Rustic Scoop. I’ve started calling Laura the Queen of GF Sourdough because she’s really cracked the code.
Is it easy to make egg free and gluten-free cake?
Not only is it easy, it can be award winning. My biggest tip for you is to follow a recipe for a gluten-free cake that’s also already egg free. If you try to adapt a recipe that’s gluten free only, it usually won’t work. I don’t want to talk your ear off (I’ve been known to do that), but just know that gluten/wheat and eggs are two super critical ingredients. When you have to remove both, you need to work from the ground up, not adapt.
RAISE, my membership website, has lots of gluten-free cake to choose from, and all the recipes are egg free and dairy free as well.
Where can I purchase dairy free sour cream?
You should be able to find non-dairy products at most grocery stores these days. The top three brands to check out are Kite Hill, Forager Project, and Violife. I’ve had the best luck finding these dairy-free alternatives at organic/all natural/Co-Op style grocery stores. Make sure you call ahead before heading out for a grocery shop, as you don’t want to waste time looking for these at shop after shop (been there, done that).
Additionally, if shared equipment is an issue for you, reach out to these brands first. Last I checked, some are using shared equipment with milk for some of their products.
I have several food sensitivities in addition to following a gluten, dairy, and egg-free diet. How can I find the right recipes?
Personally, I’d tell you to start with the Advanced Recipe Search on RAISE. What’s cool is that all of the recipes are gluten free, dairy free, and egg free. We’re talking over 700 recipes here across all categories, so you’d have a lot to choose from.
If you’re wanting to search online for recipes, look for “Gluten Free + Vegan XYZ Recipe”. XYZ would be what you’re look for (soup, stew, crackers, etc). The thing is, I can’t vouch for the recipes of other creators since I don’t follow them. I can tell you that mine would be the right recipes because they’ve been tested by people without food allergies and I don’t publish anything the taste testers don’t love.
Additionally, you can look up AIP Paleo Recipes and find dairy, egg, and gluten-free options that would work right out of the box since that diet type is GF, DF, EF, and more. The more is what might trip you up since that diet eliminates a lot potential foods for you, however, it could be just what you need from the simplicity angle.
If I have an egg allergy, can I eat duck eggs?
Maybe. You’ll need to work with your medical team on this one. Some people with an egg allergy or egg intolerance only react to chicken eggs and are able to safely consume duck eggs, ostrich eggs, and quail eggs. Your allergist or team will be able to look at your case history and test results to help you determine if a food trial of duck eggs or quail eggs would be in your best interest.
If you are able to consume duck eggs, you can use them in cooking and baking the same way you would chicken eggs, which could make your life a little easier if you’re struggling with free-from baking.
Should I purchase an Instant Pot, or a Slow Cooker?
If we’re talking either or, which I think we are based on that well placed comma, it’s going to be an Instant Pot for me. If you’re concerned about the brand name, you can also search for “multi function cooker” to see other brands and options.
The thing is, an Instant Pot is both a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, a yogurt maker (if you get the right one), and several other things all in one appliance. If you purchase a slow cooker, that’s it. That’s all you have. If you go with a multi function cooker, you have way more options available to you.
I personally have the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus and have been nothing but happy with it. The insert is steel and also works on the stove top and in the oven. It’s a win, win, win, win, win for me.
How can I find good egg and gluten-free breads? All the ones I’ve tried are crumbly.
This can be tough because once an egg substitute comes into play on top of already being gluten free, it can be pretty bad, as you’ve already experienced. The top two brands I can suggest for egg and gluten-free breads are Little Northern Bakehouse and O’Doughs. The latter is a big hit with many of my free-from friends, and O’Doughs offers a range of products these days.
If shared equipment is an issue for you, make sure you talk with both brands before purchasing anything. It’s been a while since I’ve checked, and they can change at any time.
Can you make a few recommendations for good dairy free cheese substitutes?
If you’re dairy free only and this is your first time trying dairy free cheese substitutes, I’d strongly recommend nut based cheeses. The top two brands I can suggest are Nuts for Cheese and Miyoko’s Creamery.
The creamy texture is on point for both brands, and they have flavors that are a bit more sophisticated. Additionally, they lack some of the “I can’t stand the taste of dairy free cheese” flavors that a lot of the nut free brands have.
I’m following a low sodium diet, in addition to the food allergies. How can I make sure my meals still have good flavor?
For anyone needing to follow a low sodium diet, on top of needing to eliminate major allergens, there are a few tips I can suggest.
First, you’ll need to know what your sodium limits are. For example, there’s a huge difference between a recipe that calls for a teaspoon of salt versus one that calls for four teaspoons of salt. Remember, you’re not eating the entire recipe in one day, so, would a single portion of the recipe fall within your limits? The only way to know is to do the math, so get used to doing that so you can quickly tell if you should leave a recipe as-is, or change it.
Next, learn when to salt food. For example, if you’ve ever eaten meat and it’s bland, especially after you’ve chewed it for a few moments, it usually means that the meat was salted at the end of cooking rather than throughout. Let’s say your limit is a teaspoon of salt per day. I’d take half a teaspoon of salt and use that to season cooking meat at the start of cooking, and half way through cooking. This also assumes that you’re eating all the meat in one day, but I digress.
Once my meat is seasoned, I’d use 1/4 of my remaining teaspoon to season the rest of the dish at the end of cooking. With my final 1/4 teaspoon of salt, I’d use that on a different meal in the day.
Another method to help foods taste good: finishing salt. To do this, you’d very minimally salt as you cook. Then, weigh out on a digital kitchen scale the amount of salt you can have in one day. Use that to sprinkle salt on your food as you eat it. You literally have a little bowl of salt next to you, sprinkle a little bit all over the food, take several bites, and repeat. I can tell you from personal experience that this method works really well (this also works with sugar). The salt grains are hitting you fresh on top, so they taste more intense and essentially trick the brain into thinking you’re getting more salt than what’s actually there.
Finally, season aggressively everywhere else (garlic, onion, paprika, curry, etc.). Your concern of food not tasting good is a valid one. To combat this, you’re going to make every meal a flavour bomb. There will still be an underlying blandness that you’ll never really escape, only adapt to over time. However, if you can keep your taste buds interested with all kinds of spices like sumac and garlic and onion and peppers and ginger and all the other spices, it makes food much more tasty.
I can’t have dairy or nuts. What would be the best dairy-free option for milk?
The good news is that we’re living in a world full of free-from options and free-from potential. There are a few brands that sell both dairy and nut free milks. However, if shared equipment is an issue for you, make sure you reach out as most plant-based milk is made on shared equipment with cow’s milk and other major allergens (including tree nuts).
You’re going to want to look for oat milk, seed milk, soy milk, coconut milk, and rice milk. Oat milk has some controversy around it, so make sure you choose a quality brand. I opt to make mine at home since it saves a lot of money, and there’s no shared equipment.
Good Karma Foods makes a flax seed milk, but last I checked, there’s shared equipment, so followup with them. There are several brands sold in grocery stores nationwide that make soy milk and rice milk (they’re a lot more common).
In terms of which is the best to cook and bake with, all plant-based milk is a 1:1 exchange in recipes, with the exception of full-fat coconut milk from the can. When using coconut milk in regular recipes, you want to use the boxed variety that’s more watery.
Where taste is concerned, my kids don’t drink these milks straight often, as they don’t love the taste of any. They don’t mind a chocolate milk or having milk in their smoothie, and they’re fine when I cook and bake with free-from milk. The best way to figure out what you’ll love is to purchase a container of each option and to taste tests.
What’s the difference between gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease?
I won’t keep you too long on this, but in short, Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks itself. Over time, the health complications from undiagnosed Celiac Disease can be crippling.
A gluten intolerance is like other food intolerances. You consume the food, you have a reaction that’s usually linked to one of the Igs in your immune system. The body does not attack itself.
In both cases, the only thing you can do to alleviate symptoms is to avoid gluten. In the case of Celiac Disease, even a small crumb can cause chaos in the person’s body. With a gluten intolerance, some are able to tolerate a very small amount of gluten, but, no two people are the same.
To read much more on this topic (that I could talk about all day), check out this article, specifically this section on gluten intolerance.
Is chickpea flour a good substitution in gluten free baking?
When it comes to gluten free flour substitutions, and building flour blends, I never suggest using chickpea flour (aka garbanzo bean flour). No matter the amount I use, the tasters can pick up on the taste and absolutely do NOT like it. Remember, I’m allergic to all of this, and have to rely on what the taste testers tell me.
One of the biggest tips I can give you is to go read this article on gluten free flours. It has all sorts of great information, and recommendations on how to build a flour blend that functions well and tastes great.
If for some reason you can only use one flour and can’t create a blend, my top recommendations are superfine sorghum flour and superfine brown rice flour instead of the chickpea flour.
How can I help my child eat more than oatmeal and pancakes for breakfast?
When it comes to adding variety to a child’s plate, or bowl, you’ll want to think about food ladders. Let’s look at an example for pancakes.
- Pancakes your child loves.
- Pancakes they love, but with a fruit topping that tastes great.
- Loved pancakes, but with little bitts of protein folded into the batter.
- Same pancakes, and this time we add a shredded vegetable (carrot or zucchini are the best in this scenario).
Through these four options, we’ve now introduced new variations that your child can learn to enjoy. Once you figure out which option they love best, we can use it on the ladder. Let’s say they like the shredded carrot the best.
- Pancakes with shredded carrots.
- Waffles with shredded carrots (try to make your waffle batter taste similar to your pancake batter so the shape is the biggest swap).
- Muffins with shredded carrots.
Once we know what they like of those three, we can keep going. Let’s say it was the muffins.
- Muffins with shredded carrots (this would also work with a banana bread recipe).
- Same muffins but now we add chopped nuts and raisins to give it a carrot cake feel.
- Sheet pan pancakes with shredded carrots, chopped nuts, and raisins.
- Carrot cake power balls, but rather than roll them in balls, shape them in a mini muffin pan so they resemble muffins.
Now we have a lot of breakfast options to choose from, just from expanding on the pancakes. If you take this concept and apply it to oatmeal, you can end up with breakfast oatmeal cookies (which can be boosted with extra nutrition from choice ingredients), as well as overnight oats.
Adding more variety to the plate and bowl is really a multi-pronged approach that takes time. If you need more ideas, check out this article on food exposures and this article on creating texture. Both articles take limited ingredients into account and teach you how to really work with what you’ve got, and how to create more food ladders.