Food Allergies, New to Community
Posted by Haseleah on Jan 13, 2013 · Member since Dec 2012 · 1 posts
I've just been diagnosed with numerous food allergies, and even though I've been a vegetarian for years and making the transition to vegan, I would like some advice about some healthy snack and breakfast alternatives...I'm allergic to all variety of nuts except almonds, oats, barley, all citrus fruits, mushrooms, bananas, cantaloupes, many granolas and snack bars traditionally have oats...any ideas for substitutes???? No wheat allergy so far...just looking for some healthy substitutes...any suggestions would be appreciated...
Hi there :)
Breakfast, winter time - I would definitely go for porridge oats. You can cook them with water or (organic) oat milk . Nice and easy, and super healthy!
As for snacks, can you use coconut oil? If so, you could try to make your own 'flapjacks' with coconut oil, or any other substitute, the recipes are really quite flexible. They'll be delicious if you make them yourself and at least you will know exactly what you have put in!
Good luck x
Other grains that cook up nicely as a breakfast cereal are millet, bulgur wheat, quinoa, couscous, and buckwheat groats. You can add in things like cinammon, agave, berries, etc. I will sometimes make a large batch of millet (since it takes longer for it to cook) and divide it into serving containers for breakfasts for the week.
chickpea flour omeletes are very quick and easy to make as well, and you can add things like tomatoes, onion, leafy greens, and seasonings/spices like cumin, garlic, nutmeg etc folded into them. Very filling.
Toast with bean spreads on top or just beans on top is nice too. I use combinations like white beans/molasses on top, or refried pinto beans (make my own or if I buy it already canned make sure it doesn't have lard in it) with a dollop of salsa on top. If you are not allergic to almonds, you could add almond butter on top. You can even make your own almond butter with almonds in a high speed blender.
Green smoothies with frozen berries, peaches, apples, kale, spinach (makes a creamier smoothie), etc and add stevia or spices, pea or rice protein powder, almond milk etc.
Plain sweet potato is a nice snack or breakfast item and you can add to it also with seseme seeds, or agave, or a little plant milk etc. Squash is an alternative. I sometimes make a bunch at once and divide it into containers to have on hand for snacks or breakfasts.
I forgot to mention a favorite of mine...wild rice with homemade blueberry sauce and chopped walnuts. Very filling and tasty breakfast. I make the wild rice ahead and the morning of I just quickly make the blueberry sauce (a little starch such as cornstarch or potato starch sprinkled on fresh or frozen blueberries, add water to it and a pinch of agave and heat on stove until warm and thick) and add the walnuts. In your case you could use almonds in it, or add sunflower seeds etc.