Whole Food Plant Based Gluten Free Recipes
Follow a healthy plant-based diet and eliminate gluten without missing out on taste or nutrition. Replace wheat flour with recipes made with gluten-free grains, including brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, millet, buckwheat groats, sorghum, and teff.
The best whole food plant based gluten free recipes are those that can be eaten by everyone in your family!
Polenta with Berry Toppings
This hearty vegan breakfast is comforting, filling and packed with plant-based protein. It also has a fun texture that’s super easy to jazz up with various toppings. Try varying the berries (blackberries are a classic) and adding in warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves. You can also add in non-dairy whipped cream for an extra layer of decadence.
When choosing polenta, it’s important to pick the right grind for your tastes and needs. Stoneground polenta has more grain variance while consistent grind polenta has a smoother consistency.
Both types of polenta cook quickly in a saucepan with milk and salt. If you prefer a more smooth and creamy polenta, use an immersion blender or food processor to break up any large chunks. Top with berry compote and serve warm.
Hash Browns
2. Hash Browns
Nothing makes breakfast feel like a slam-dunk like a batch of crisp, golden brown hash browns. These potato haystacks are crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside, making them perfect for pairing with a variety of breakfast foods including tofu scrambles.
To get the most flavorful and crispy hash browns, make sure to use low-moisture, starchy potatoes (like russets). Also, be careful not to over-grate your potato. Shredding too finely will create a very runny hash brown.
One of the biggest mistakes when making hash browns is to flood the pan with oil. This will prevent the spuds from crisping up. Instead, you should focus on mitigating moisture by squeezing out excess water. You can use a potato ricer, orange or lemon press, or even a tea towel to wring out the moisture from your raw shredded potato. Be sure to pat your shredded potatoes dry before plopping them into the hot pan.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
This soul-warming dish is very popular in Pittsburgh (where I’m from) and is also referred to as Golabki. It’s made with a delicious combination of beef and rice topped with herby tomato marinara. The cabbage leaves are slightly steamed to make them soft enough to bend and wrap around the filling without breaking or tearing.
The recipe calls for ground beef but other ground meats like chicken, turkey or Italian sausage would work well too. And if you want to sneak more veggies into your rolls try adding some chopped spinach, carrots, mushrooms or other greens.
Once the cabbage is steamed and cool enough to handle, you can begin prepping the ingredients to stuff in the rolls. To start, spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish. Then, remove the hard triangular rib from each leaf and place 1-2 Tablespoons of filling near the end with the rib, fold the sides over and roll up tightly. Continue with remaining leaves and place seam side down in the baking dish.
Oatmeal Pie Crust
Whether you’re enjoying dessert or making lunch, whole food plant based recipes are easy to find and can be made with ingredients found in your kitchen. For example, a quick and simple berry tart with a deliciously nutty oatmeal crust is both vegan and gluten-free.
This versatile crust can be used for no bake fillings like fruit or berries and chocolate, or baked pies such as pumpkin or apple. The oat flour provides a light, nutty flavor that is a great alternative to the heavier crusts often used with wheat flour.
The recipe calls for butter, but a high-quality, plant-based butter (such as Miyoko’s) can be substituted. Using a butter that contains no glycerol or other fat-replacement additives is best to avoid the potential for cross-contamination with gluten. Alternatively, the pie can be made oil free by using 1/2 cup nut or seed butter instead and adding in a bit of water (the amount needed will vary depending on your nut/seed butter’s consistency). The dough can be frozen raw or baked, and this pie crust works well for both.