If you eat a zero gluten diet, a low gluten diet, or you know someone who does, this post is for you! Share with your friends!

You’ll already know that certain meals are hard to replicate in a gluten free style. But this year I’ve found some extraordinary products that do a tremendous job at filling the void. I wanted to share some of my best gluten free finds of 2019 with you.

Gluten Free Pasta Options

Barilla and Rummo, both Italian brands, make very good gluten free pasta from a combination of corn and rice flour and they’re available widely in North America. For example, my local grocery store carries four or fives varieties of Barilla GF pasta.

Until trying these brands, every gluten free pasta I’d sampled was a terribly disappointing substitute. They were mushy, gooey, too hard or had the wrong flavour. Yuk. But last week I made a lamb ragu (loosely based on this recipe) with these Rummo linguini linked above, and I’d wager that most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the gluten free and regular wheat flour versions. Either way, they do a truly excellent job of replacing wheat pasta.

Gluten Free Flour for Bread

There are lots of solid gluten free flour mixes out there these days. Having said that, if you want to make bread, especially pizza dough or focaccia, you’ve got to try Caputo Fiorglut. I’ve made both and I can tell you very simply that it’s amazing stuff. Expect that it will be very sticky when kneading. Oil your fingers or wear gloves. Other than that, it produces what you want: a good pizza dough. At my mom’s birthday this summer, my family actually preferred the pizzas I made using this gluten free mix to the pizzas I made with regular flour. In fact, it’s also used by several highly rated gluten free restaurants in Italy, which is all proof positive of the deliciousness of this product.

If you’re in the GTA, the Polish grocery chain Starsky carries it for a significantly cheaper price than Amazon.

Gluten Free Croissant?

I tried a GF Croissant from Wild Blue Bakery in Toronto and it was terrific. Now, it’s not exactly the same as an exquisite wheat croissant, but it is close. The taste is there and it has the layered texture you know and love. Unfortunately, they only deliver since they have no brick and mortar location, and the croissants really need to be enjoyed fresh for maximum enjoyment. Day old pastries just aren’t the same.

Gluten Free Bagels Can Taste Like a Real Bagel

I also discovered that gluten free bagels can be done exceptionally well. There must be many options, but the best I’ve tried (it’s in my neighbourhood) is from Bagel Time. They make them fresh, Montreal style, in a wood fired oven. These bagels are closer to the real thing than just about any gluten free bread option that I’ve tried.

A Note About Health

Even though these foods are gluten free, please remember that bread and pasta don’t represent the best nutritional bang for your buck. These are still refined foods and per calorie they don’t have any many vitamins, minerals, fiber and other beneficial plant-chemicals as more nutrient dense vegetables, fruits, meat and so on. How much starch is right for you? That depends on several variables like muscles mass, activity level, age, and individual tolerance. For general health goals most people should enjoy these GF substitutions in moderation instead of making them the bulk of their meals.

Do You Have Recommendations?

If you have some gluten free finds that need to be shared, or for that matter, other recipes or health products that you love, please tell me! I’m always looking for tips to share with clients so we can help more people. Reach out via email here. I’d love to hear from you.