Wheat Alternatives - Theres HEAPS out there!

When it came to feeding my baby her first foods, I really had a look at what I ate.... and found I didn't like it! This may sounds COMPLETELY unjustified, but I do think that many common allergies are a result of over exposure. Wheat for example - we have toast ot cereal for breakfast, sandwhich for lunch, crackers or museli bar for a snack, pasta/bread for dinner. All wheat...


So I try to diverisfy our diets more, give the body a bit more variety in life. But being a chef, I loath bland boring food. So it has to be yummy, nutritionous and varied.... Heres a start in finding the right grains....


Use these flours instead of white flour when making a white sauce, binding ingredients or mix half / half when baking! 

List of wheat flour substitutes/alternative grains

• Barley, oats, rye. Although these grains can be used in place of wheat, they all contain GLUTEN.  Remember that "wheat-free" doesn't always mean "gluten-free".

Oats are a very good source of silica, which is important for supporting the body's connective tissues. Rye flakes can be used to make a nourishing, warm, cooked cereal.

• Millet. This is the most easily digested grain available - and is also the least allergenic. It is a good source of silica and protein. Millet flour can be used for baking and the grains can be used to make porridge, or can be cooked and served like rice.
• Rice and wild rice. Rice flours are often used as wheat flour substitutes. Creamed rice can be given to baby as a cereal and, for older babies, cooked rice can be used in place of breadcrumbs to make stuffing.
• Sorghum is a cereal grain, similar to millet, which is ground to produce sorghum flour.
• Buckwheat (despite its name) is not a type of wheat and is not even a cereal grain! It is gluten free and therefore safe for a gluten intolerant baby. It is very rare for anyone to develop any type of sensitivity to buckwheat.

Buckwheat flour is also known as beechwheat, kasha or saracen corn. Buckwheat groats can be used to make a hot breakfast for baby, or simply served as part of a main meal!

• Amaranth is another non-cereal, gluten-free grain which is ground for baking. It is a very rich source of calcium and is also high in magnesium and silica. Amaranth has been widely used in Mexico to prevent malnutrition. It can be prepared and served like rice.
• Quinoa is related to the amaranth grain - like amaranth, it is a particularly rich source of calcium. It has the highest protein content of all grains and also provides baby with phosphorus (important for a healthy heart, kidneys and brain), iron and vitamins B and E. Quinoa, too, can be cooked and served like rice, although many people prefer to serve it with other grains.
• Chick pea flours can also be used as wheat flour substitutes and are also known as gram or garbanzo flours.
• Ground flaxseeds. These are high in Omega 3 fatty acids, fibre and manganese. Flaxseeds are digested more easily when ground.
• Potato starch, arrowroot powder, tapioca and cornstarch are good wheat flour substitutes to use for thickening gravys or sauces for baby, or for binding ingredients in baking.

 Apple and sultana baby oatmeal (6 months+)

1/2 cup cooked millet
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup apple juice
1 apple peeled, cored and diced
pinch nutmeg
1 tbsp sultanas 

Pour the water and juice into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Add the diced apple and sultanas, then sprinkle in the cooked millet, stirring well.
Return the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Add the nutmeg and cook until thick and broken down (10-15 mins).

If this recipe is too lumpy for your baby, you can puree it directly in the pot using a hand blender.

Another alternative is to soak the sultanas to soften them, then puree them before adding them to the dish.