Gluten-free, nut-free alternatives you’ll love
Creating a gluten-free product is not an easy task, especially when it comes to certain foods like bread. For years, manufacturers struggled to perfect gluten-free bread loaves and I, being gluten-free for more than 20 years now, was a sort of involuntary guinea pig. I bought and ate all kinds of bread that was tasteless, crumbly, or filled with more holes than Swiss cheese! Luckily, they got better over time. That said, I still get people asking on social media, in person, or via email what kinds of gluten-free bread is the best or what they can buy that doesn’t taste like cardboard. Personally, I don’t think many gluten-free breads taste like cardboard anymore, but then again, I tasted the stuff from the early experiments so as I said, it’s a drastic improvement! Also, I haven’t eaten gluten-filled bread in a long time, so I no longer have that comparison fresh in my mind or on my palette like those new to gluten-free might have.
However, I do have a few favorites, and one of them is Canyon Bakehouse. These breads are delicious and even the gluten-eaters I know have tried these loaves and been fully satisfied. The heritage loaves are fantastic because they are larger than most of the other gluten-free breads out there. Plus, they have a variety of flavors like Honey Oat, Deli Rye Style, Cinnamon Raisin, and Hawaiian Sweet. Yum!
Finding a gluten-free bread to love is to celiacs what finding a nut-free peanut butter spread is to people with nut allergies. It’s a traditional, much-loved food that people want in their lives, so when a food allergy or autoimmunity to a food prevents you from having it, you look for a way to fill that void. What can people with nut allergies swap for peanut butter or other nut butters? Don’t Go Nuts soy-based spreads.
Available in a variety of flavors – Sea Salted, Simply Cinnamon, Chocolate, and more – these spreads are a great nut-free alternative. The chocolate one is like a Nutella-style spread and goes great on a slice of Canyon Bakehouse bread. Or make a PB&J – minus the PB and replaced with Don’t Go Nuts! These spreads have the same amount of protein per serving as peanut butter – about 7-8 grams depending on the flavor. Plus, they’re full of fiber, iron, and B vitamins. They’re USDA certified organic, certified gluten-free, and vegan.
Besides going together like bread and butter, these two products also share a common thread in that they are both created by people who truly understand restricted eating. Canyon Bakehouse was founded by a celiac and Don’t Go Nuts was founded by a family whose daughter has anaphylactic nut allergies. If that’s not reason enough to join these two products, well then, the fact that they’re delicious together might!
