My Picky Celiac Daughter Won’t Eat ANYTHING—Except These Five Game-Changing Dinners
[This recipe] is one of Delish's best of all time, as far as I'm concerned, so to be able to make it gluten-free is a game changer."
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Anyone who’s experienced an abrupt, necessary dietary change knows—it can be IMPOSSIBLE to figure out what to cook. And it’s not as though you can just put it off, either (we all gotta eat!), especially when you’re also responsible for feeding your entire family, every night of the week. Our Editorial Director Joanna Saltz knows this firsthand: when her daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease, she had to get creative, fast, with what to make for her family of 5. Below are the picks her daughter LOVES, and that everyone else in her family, from her husband to her college-aged son, can get behind too.
“Eating had become a chore because she was undiagnosed for so long… so cooking has really become about finding things that pique her interest, and leaning into foods that she loves,” said Saltz. This means taking old go-tos like tamale pie and giving them a celiac-friendly spin, often by using convenient store-bought ingredients like gluten-free cornbread mix (this is her favorite!).
She also loves vegetables, “so cauliflower and sweet potatoes have become really big saviors”. Our cauliflower fried rice and chili cheese sweet potato casserole “take those vegetables to the next level, so even my meat-loving sons can get into them,” said Saltz.
Sushi is another family favorite, so Saltz turns it into rice bowls that are “just like the best of sushi without the pain of actually having to roll it.” We top our sushi bowls with salmon or tuna, but whatever you like works. Check out the rest of our grain bowl recipes (skip the farro if you too need celiac-friendly options!) for even more inspiration.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Fried rice will always be one of the best takeout items, by far. It’s a classic recipe that everyone loves…except maybe those who are trying to eat less rice. If that’s you, we created this spin on the fave that subs cauliflower for rice, while still crushing the flavor game.
Get the Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe.
Tamale Pie
Most tamale pies consist of a flavorful ground beef base and a cornbread topping, but we decided to go a different route, by layering the beef and cheese on top of an enchilada sauce-smothered cornbread crust (use a gluten-free option, this is our favorite). Amazingly, even with all that, the crust doesn’t get soggy, and becomes the perfect flavor-packed base for all of the delicious toppings.
Get the Tamale Pie recipe.
Chili Cheese Sweet Potato Casserole
With roasted sweet potatoes and black bean chili layered together under a gooey blanket of cheese, this vegetarian weeknight dinner is both incredibly comforting and surprisingly hearty.
Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos
Extra crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside, these tacos are so much fun to make and eat. Putting cheese directly in your skillet might sound wrong, but it works! Once off heat, the cheese starts to harden and crisps up, giving the texture of a crunchy taco shell, but extra delicious (and gluten-free!).
Get the Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos recipe.
Sushi Bowls
Not ready to make your own California roll or shrimp tempura roll at home quite yet but craving all of the classic sushi flavors? Make a sushi bowl! You can practice making restaurant-worthy sushi rice, source best-quality fish, and discover what ingredients, flavors, and textures you like, without any rolling.
Get the Sushi Bowls recipe.
