It used to be so easy to pick up the phone and just order a pizza. But, that was before you had to worry about eating gluten free and casein free.
Pizza can be a real GFCF nightmare! Making homemade crust is time consuming . . . frozen pizzas are expensive and offer very little in the way of flavor and texture. Pizzarias never used to offer a GFCF option because it was just too expensive to keep supplies in stock.
But, things have changed! Now, there are some really tasty dine-in, take out and delivery options for pizza in the triangle area!
Zpizza offers a small (10") gluten free crust and includes an option to substitute soy cheese in place of regular mozzarella. A small gluten free, soy cheese pizza will cost about $10.
Zpizza claims to have a passion for healthy, fresh foods. All their sauces are made with organic ingredients, their pepperoni is MSG free, and their sausage is additive free.
With two triangle locations and delivery available, Zpizza is a quick, easy and healthy option for busy families.
Lilly's Pizza at Five Points in Raleigh will make any 10" pizza gluten free for an additional $2. They also offer a soy cheese option making the whole pizza GFCF.
Of course, if soy is a problem, you could always choose a cheeseless pizza from either Lilly's or Zpizza. Pies with pesto sauce instead of tomato sauce are great when cheese is off the menu!
And finally, all of the Mellow Mushroom locations in the triangle offer gluten free pizza crust and some locations offer Daiya Vegan cheese which is casein free and soy free! So, if a fun outdoor atmosphere is what you crave . . . Mellow Mushroom pizza is the place to be when you're gluten free!
A warm, hearty, breakfast that’s easy to make and tough to resist! This one will give your on-the-go family a reason to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasure of warm, delicious apples, and sweet, plumped-up cranberries swimming in a bowl of cinnamon dreaminess!
Ingredients:
1 cup vanilla almond milk* 1 cup water 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 cup GF oatmeal 1/2 apple (diced-any variety) 1/4 cup brown sugar** 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions: Add milk, water and dried cranberries with a pinch of salt to a saucepot and bring to a boil (be careful not to scald the milk). As the liquid warms and comes to a boil, your shriveled, dried cranberries will begin to plump into the beautiful round juicy berries they once were!
Next, add oatmeal, diced apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Return to boil, lower heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes (or to desired texture). Garnish with walnuts if desired.
* Feel free to substitute any milk product you desire. I like Vanilla Almond milk because it adds sweetness and a warm nutty flavor.
**Honey or pure maple syrup would be suitable substitutes for brown sugar.
If you are wondering whether your child's gluten free/casein free diet is meeting the nutritional needs of a growing body . . . you're not alone.One of the biggest concerns doctors have when they hear parents talking about this elimination diet is that the child is going to miss out on important nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, iron and fiber - all of which could lead to some very serious complications.
Over the next few weeks I'll be discussing each of these individually.You’ll learn why these nutrients are important and you'll get some practical tips for making sure your child is getting everything he needs while following a GFCF diet plan.
So, let's start with the obvious . . . fiber.Gluten free breads and baked goods are expensive and it’s hard to find options that taste good.To make matters worse, gluten free cereals and baking mixes are usually made from potato starch, tapioca starch, white rice flour, or a combination of all of these. The nutritional value in these wheat substitutions is weak at best . . . and unless you are choosing items that are "fortified" with all those missing nutrients . . . you are just getting a bunch of empty calories.
This leaves parents with a few options:
Some cut out breads and baked goods all together,
Others find the best tasting (but usually least nutritious) options and just hope for the best.
And, the third group (which you will be after reading this article) makes use of alternative grains like quinoa, millet and brown rice and finds fiber in other foods like beans, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
How much fiber does your child need?
To make sure your child is getting the right amount of fiber - you have to do a little math!Don't worry . . . it's easy. Your child may even be able to do it himself!
Calculation: Add 5 to your child's age in years.For example, a 6 year old needs 11 grams of fiber each day (5 + 6 = 11).
What are the symptoms of a diet low in fiber?
In the short term, not having enough fiber in the diet leads to constipation, diarrhea or alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea.This is usually accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating and cramping, straining during bowel movements and hemorrhoids.
In the long term, diets low in fiber can lead to weight gain (obesity), diabetes (because fiber helps regulate blood glucose), high cholesterol, and may even be a factor in the development of colorectal cancer.
What are the best gluten free sources of fiber?
Look for items with whole grains versus those with refined grains.Here's a comparison: One half cup of white rice (which is a refined grain) has about one tenth of a gram (0.1g) of fiber. While the same portion of brown rice (a whole grain) has 2.4 grams of fiber.
There are some really great gluten free whole grains available that do contain significant amounts of fiber. For example, corn, millet, oats, rice, quinoa, wild rice, and brown rice are all great tasting, excellent sources of fiber.
There are several pre-made gluten free breads available that are made from whole grains like brown rice.
Challenge!
Read the label on your favorite pre-made GFCF bread.What is the fiber content?What do you like and dislike about this bread?Post your thoughts in the comment section of this article.
Additional foods that contain healthy fiber include beans and other legumes.There are black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, cranberry beans and navy beans.And, don’t forget about black eyed peas, garbanzo beans, lentils, split peas and lima beans!
Challenge!
If you have a favorite GFCF bean recipe, feel free to post it in the comment section of this article!
Fruits that are high in fiber include avocados, oranges, blackberries, strawberries, pears, guava, papaya and the old stand-by . . . apples!
Veggies that pack a super fiber punch are corn, carrots, broccoli, peas and brussel sprouts!
Nuts and seeds like almonds, coconut, flaxseeds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and pistachios are a great way to add fiber and omega 3 fatty acids to the diet.
Getting Started.
Here’s the catch.Most kids don’t love the foods that tend to be high in fiber.That’s one reason they don’t get enough.Parents would rather just see their kids EAT than fight with them about particular nutrients.So, parents opt for choices their kids like and put off worrying about nutrition for another day.
If this is the case with your child . . . don’t expect success with fiber to be overnight!If your child typically does not get enough fiber, you should gradually increase fiber into the diet.Adding too much too fast can lead to abdominal pain, bloating, gas and cramping.This will make your child HATE the high fiber foods even more!
Add fiber slowly and sneakily!For breakfast, offer a high fiber cereal like Barbara’s Bakery Cinnamon Puffins which have 6g of fiber per serving instead of General Mills Rice Chex . . . which (gasp) has NO fiber at all!
Add a handful of nuts or trail mix to snack time.Or, if your child is a “dipper” make bean dip or hummus with corn chips for lunch.
Make sure you always include a whole grain with dinner.This will probably be the hardest one to get our child to eat! For some reason . . . dinner is never fun!But, if you’ve been diligent all day with fiber – don’t worry too much if your child eats everything on his plate EXCEPT that beautiful pile of tasty wild rice!
A Word about Supplementation.
As with all nutrients – it’s better to get what you need from actual foods.Do not give your child a fiber supplement like Metamucil or Benefiber without advice from your doctor.
Share what you’ve learned!
Reply to this post with your favorite great tasting high fiber recipe, meal ideas or pre-made product brands.We’d love to hear from you and millions of other moms out there who are facing challenges just like you can learn and grow from your contribution!
Check back next week for Part 2 of this series: Acquiring Calcium in GFCF Cuisine!
