Try a Bread Swap Substitution
It is great having allergen free bread options, but it’s also healthier to avoid bread even if it is gluten free. It is cleaner to use a vegetable, or fruit substitute. Here are some of my favorite bread substitutions – they are so good that you won’t miss out on that slice of bread!
• Lettuce wrap → It is so important to get your greens in! You can wrap your Hilary’s Eat Well burger in romaine lettuce or another leafy green which will hold everything together. Lettuce wraps are much lower in calories than bread, and they are very fresh.
• Corn Tortillas → Corn tortillas tend to be cleaner than regular bread. You can even use a tortilla to replace a pizza crust which is much lighter option.
• Sweet Potato → Thick slices of cooked sweet potato can be a great substitute for burger buns or flatbreads. Try this out with your next burger from Hilary’s Eat Well!
• Portobello Mushroom → You can use 2 big slices of raw or cooked Portobello mushrooms instead of a burger bun or sandwich bread.
• Bell Peppers → Cut off 2 large slices of bell peppers and pile in as much veggies and meat as you can in between them!
• Eggplant → Eggplant is a great healthy and vegetable substitution for bread – be sure to cut a big enough slice.
• Cauliflower Bread or Pizza Crust → Cauliflower bread or pizza crust is a wonderful bread alternative that is healthy and still has the consistency of bread. Gather the following ingredients: 1 small head of cauliflower, 1 egg, ½ cup of cheese or dairy free variation, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil. Transform the cauliflower florets into rice with a food processor. Microware the cauliflower rice on high for 8 minutes or until cooked. Remove excess water from cauliflower. Combine the following ingredients into a bowl: cauliflower rice, egg, cheese, salt & pepper. Mix well, shape into squares, and place onto a parchment on a baking sheet. Bake for about 16 minutes or until golden at 450 degrees.
• Tomato / Caprese Salad Sandwich → Substitute tomatoes for bread, and you can even throw in some mozzarella cheese and basil to make a caprese salad sandwich.
• Apple → Use thick slices of apple as the bread, and then add peanut butter in between the layers.
• Banana → Use thick slices of banana as the bread, and then add Nutella or peanut butter in between the layers.
• Tofu → You can use 2 big slices of raw or cooked tofu instead of a burger bun or sandwich bread.
• Cucumber → Hollow out a cucumber the long way, and then pile in the veggies and other toppings you want inside the cucumber sandwich.
Jackie Aanonsen is the Founder & CEO of Gluten Free Follow Me, the guide to dining gluten free in NYC, California and beyond! She details and ranks over 2,000 gluten free friendly eateries and products on her website - follow her journey!