Mainstream Substitutes for Allergy-Friendly Ingredients

Xanthan gum? Coconut Aminos? WHAT?!

I frequently receive questions about how to use my recipes with 'mainstream' ingredients, and usually answer on an individual basis, but I thought you might all benefit from a list you can refer back to.

Perhaps you don't have food allergies and you'd like to try something you find here, or perhaps you're simply avoiding one allergen, such as gluten or soy. The following list should help you with where to begin, but please keep in mind that my recipes are written for the products I use. I sometimes need to add more moisture to a recipe {applesauce, oil, etc.} to keep it from being dry or crumbly. If you feel like your version of a particular recipe could use less liquid, or more of something else, then give it a go!

If the recipe calls for:

...gluten free flour, use regular all-purpose flour. Omit the xanthan gum.

...Earth Balance, use your favorite butter or margarine.

...almond milk, coconut milk, etc., use your milk of choice. Cow's milk, soy, it's up to you!

...canola oil, grapeseed oil, etc., use your favorite oil. Keep in mind that some oils have a stronger taste than others and may not be appropriate for some recipes.

...coconut aminos, use regular {or gluten-free} soy sauce. Coconut aminos is sweeter than soy sauce, so you may wish to add a bit of brown sugar or honey when using mainstream soy sauce, depending on the recipe. You may also need to omit salt, if called for.

...peanut butter, use your favorite nut butter. Peanut Butter Cups, for example, would be equally tasty as Almond Butter Cups!

Some other tips:

Eggs and egg replacer are typically interchangeable in a recipe. It may take a couple of rounds to find the best consistency, but give it a try! You might surprise yourself!

Shortening, oil, or butter can all be used to grease a cake pan.

While it's true that not all chocolate is created equally, you should feel free to use whatever variety of chocolate chips you have on hand to suit your dietary restrictions.

Where gluten-free bread or pasta are called for, your favorite mainstream brand is a suitable replacement. Same goes for the allergen-friendly brand you keep stocked in your pantry.

There isn't a thing in the world stopping you from sprinkling your beloved, shredded mozzarella on top of a gluten free lasagna!

Gluten-free oats are no different, in the baking/food world, than standard oats. {The literal difference is simply the way they're handled, and on which equipment they're processed. Oats don't contain gluten, but mainstream oats have a very high potential for cross-contamination.}

Chicken broth and vegetable broth can typically be used interchangeably, and the meat omitted from a soup or stew to create a vegan or vegetarian dish. If you tolerate soy, try adding tofu in place of the meat.


I've added a permanent link to this post at the *top* of my recipe index page. It'll always be there, for you to refer back to!