Going gluten free, either by choice or by necessity, means you may need to get creative when you cook. If one member of the family is gluten sensitive, it is often easier to switch the entire family to a gluten free diet at least for main meals and snacks. It will make both shopping and food prep easier, and cut down on the possibility of gluten sneaking onto the table by mistake.

There are several ways you can substitute the gluten laden foods in your diet for gluten free ones, and still feel like you are eating “normal” meals. Keep in mind, “gluten free” means no wheat, barley, or rye. You can use potato, rice, corn, quinoa, and other grains. Most gluten free diets can contain oats, but your results may vary, so be aware if oats are acceptable for your family or not.

Here are some great ideas for substituting gluten free foods, so you can enjoy the “normal” foods you love:

Pie Crusts: You can make pies that are savoury, like quiches, and sweet, like pumpkin or apple by replacing the flour based crust with a potato, rice, or gluten free cookie crust. To use potato or rice, melt 1/3 cup butter and pour over shredded potatoes or prepared rice. Press the rice or potatoes firmly into a pie crust, and pre-bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Fill with a savoury filling, and bake as directed. The potato or rice will act as a pie crust, eliminating the need to use a wheat based crust.

Cookies: Need a sweet crust for a pie or a base for bar cookies? Buy commercially made gluten free cookies, and crush them up. Mix with º cup melted butter and press firmly into a pie or cookie pan. You can use this method for cheesecakes, lemon bars, magic cookie bars and more.

Pasta: Substitute commercially made quinoa or rice noodles for pasta in your favourite dishes. In general, quinoa pasta works better in baked dishes like mac and cheese or baked ziti, and rice noodles are better for more delicate dishes like stir fries.

Tofu: Use tofu to replace gluten based thickeners. You can also buy shirataki, a gluten free noodle, in the tofu case at most supermarkets. Shirataki is great for Asian dishes and spaghetti.

Quinoa: Quinoa is naturally gluten free, and can be used as a grain (you prepare it just like you prepare rice). You can also purchase pasta and “flour” made from quinoa. If you need to complete a recipe that calls for a small amount of wheat flour, you can substitute quinoa flour instead. Examples are sauces that begin with a roux, soups that require thickening, or cheese based dishes that use flour to reduce clumping. Quinoa flour is also great for baking, but it is better to use a recipe designed for quinoa flour than attempt to substitute it for wheat flour.

Low Carb foods: Sometimes, items designed for low carb dieters are also gluten free. Whole foods that are recommended for low carb dieting like meats, eggs, cheese, and salad veggies are naturally gluten free. You can also buy commercially made low carb products, but you do need to read the labels carefully. Some of these items are made in facilities that process traditional foods, and those very sensitive to trace amounts of gluten should not try them.

With practice, substituting gluten free foods for suspect ones becomes routine. Don’t overlook naturally gluten free foods as you search for substitutes, and remember that you can use commercially made “gluten free” foods in other ways to get the results you need.