Some of my roommates are, unfortunately, celiacs. This means they have a gluten, wheat or wheat byproduct, intolerance and means when it’s my night to cook I tend to be at a loss. I grew up in a family where starchy foods and lots of bread were common in dinner often my mom would serve any number of meals ranging from fried southern fare to Italian inspired dishes. Since my arrival here I’ve discovered a wide variety of alternatives to wheat starch in my meals that normally call for it and have explored cuisine from regions I love that don’t necessarily involve anything that contains gluten.
There are plenty of cuisines you can find that aren’t heavy starch or wheat, usually these are Asian dishes. Thai dishes in particular are wonderful for creamy broths with bold flavor without having to modify a recipe around a gluten laden ingredient. Mediterranean dishes, like ninety-percent of Italian cuisine , I’ve encountered have becomes synonymous with pastas breads and all sorts of wonderful dishes I can’t prepare for my friends. Bright side, there are plenty of rice dishes and many dishes that don’t include pasta or, if I have my heart set on pasta and up to trying something new, there are now gluten-free flours made from potato starch now available. Recently, I tasted some of the best chicken and dumplings I have ever tried that turned out to be completely gluten-free. I’m looking forward to trying a gluten-free lasagna recipe soon.
It turns out restaurants, even those celiacs previously avoided, are introducing gluten free meals. I even overheard recently that Starbucks is introducing gluten free drinks, my roommate’s verdict was still pricey but good. Some of the shocking restaurants to discover have these new menus are P.F. Chang ´s , Chili’s , Boston Market, and even The Old Spaghetti Factory . This is delightful since it gives me the option of calling and getting some take out when I can’t make up my mind to cook.