How to Make Gluten-Free Living Taste Great!

Are you making the switch to a gluten-free lifestyle? Lots of people are. Whether it’s for a health condition like Celiac disease, a gluten sensitivity or intolerance, or another inflammatory stomach condition, more and more people are changing their habits in favor of gluten-free living. If you’re considering eliminating gluten from your diet but aren’t sure if it’s the right move, keep reading! The information you find may help make that decision easier.

What is Gluten?

That’s the first million-dollar question in the room: What even is gluten? Gluten is a mashup of many different distinct proteins that come from grains like barley, wheat, and rye. Not all grains have gluten; in fact, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, wild rice, quinoa, sorghum, amaranth, teff, and polenta corn are all naturally gluten-free. Oats can be gluten-free too, but they are often contaminated during the refining process so it’s important to always buy certified gluten-free oats if you have any type of gluten intolerance.

Why Go Gluten-Free?

There are tons of reasons people may choose to adopt a gluten-free diet. Gluten is an irritant, which means that people who have digestive disorders may experience discomfort when eating it. A lot of people don’t even have a confirmed diagnosis of gluten intolerance, but they find that by eliminating gluten from their diet, they just feel better. That’s reason enough to consider making the switch if you fall into this group!

What are Gluten-Free Foods?

Many foods are naturally gluten-free, some of which include potatoes, soy, beans, tapioca, and cassava. Additionally, most fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and legumes are gluten-free as long as they’re not in processed form. If you’re not sure if your food is gluten-free, a good marker is to check if it has a Gluten Free Certification. The GFCO (Gluten Free Certification Organization) is responsible for issuing the certification after meticulous scrutiny by an accredited auditor. This involves evaluating both individual products as well as the facilities where they are produced. While not all gluten-free products are certified gluten free, (it is voluntary and not legally required), obtaining the gluten free badge is a great step suppliers can take to reassure their customers that their foods are free from gluten.  

What are Some Gluten-Free Recipes?

Scour the internet and you will find lots of tips on how to eat gluten free. But what about tasty and delicious gluten free recipes? Munk Pack has you covered.

1. Gluten Free Keto Bar Smoothie Bowl

This is an easy way to pack a ton of nutrition into your first meal of the day. Inspired by @bitesbybekah, this gluten free recipe blends a Munk Pack Keto Bar with fresh fruits to give you a healthy dose of fiber, calcium, folate, and potassium. 

How to make this gluten-free smoothie bowl:

1. Combine the oats, flax seeds, cinnamon and beetroot powder in a bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 10-15 minutes (optional, but allows it to thicken as the oats soak up the water).
2. Add the almond milk, mix, and then microwave for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add any desired toppings –  we suggest fruit with a crumbled up Munk Pack Keto Granola Bar™ or a Munk Pack Keto Nut & Seed Bar
4. Enjoy!

2. Gluten Free Nice Cream Sandwiches

Ice cream sandwiches are a staple in the summertime, so why not make your own with a healthy twist? This recipe is a great replacement for store-bought gluten free ice cream sandwiches. Not only are these desserts gluten-free, but they’re also packed with nutritional value and drool-worthy Munk Pack Protein Cookies! This recipe comes to you from our friend @basilandbiceps. Feel free to stick to the recipe or bring in your own favorite flavor of our Protein Cookies.

Ingredients:
2 frozen bananas
1/2 cup coconut yogurt 
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
4 Munk Pack Coconut White Chip Macadamia Protein Cookies
2 tbsp coconut flakes

Directions for how to make these gluten free nice cream sandwiches

1. Place all nice cream ingredients into food processor
2. Process until smooth
3. Line a large baking dish with parchment paper
4. Spread out nice cream into a thick layer, use a wooden spoon to mold into desired shape
5. Let harden overnight
6. In the morning, unwrap cookies
7. Use a cookie to cut out the nice cream into the same shape
8. Sandwich the second cookie on top, and roll in coconut flakes
9. Set back into freezer to harden for at least 30 minutes
10. Enjoy!

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