Travel the world, leave the gluten behind

One of the best ways to immerse oneself in a new culture while traveling is to indulge in the local cuisine. From Vietnamese Pho to Italian Squid Ink Pasta or Ghanaian Fufu, meandering out of your comfort zone and trying foods you would normally turn up your nose at can give you a sense of how locals live. Armed with Pepto Bismol for the stranger dishes out there, travelers with no dietary restrictions can dive right into whatever their heart desires.

Those of us who do have aversions, allergies and intolerances, however, cannot so easily or light-heartedly dip our toes in unfamiliar dishes from countries whose languages we cannot speak.

I was diagnosed with celiac disease between studying abroad in Italy and participating in Semester at Sea, a program that brought me to countries in Europe, Africa and the Americas. During my first study abroad trip, I discovered the adventurous foodie in me. Trying something new and weird excited me to the core, and when I got home, I couldn’t wait to keep traveling and keep eating. When my doctor told me that I had to decide between constant illness and gluten, my decision was easy, but disappointing. While the understanding of celiac disease drastically improved worldwide between my two trips, it

was still extremely difficult to eat abroad. Before I left for Semester at Sea, I had gone so far as to print out translations in every language of the

definition of the disease and descriptions of what I could and couldn’t eat. But while I ate my plain salad, I still had to watch begrudgingly as my friends indulged in whatever specialty was on the menu.

Aviva Kanoff’s “Gluten Free Around the World” cookbook (Brio, 2014) eases that bitter disappointment that gluten-free travelers often feel. In 231 pages, she provides gluten-free recipes for some of the best and most popular dishes in countries such as Israel, Italy, Ecuador and India. The cookbook has a wide selection of salads, soups, sides, vegetarian, poultry, meat and dessert dishes that are sure to satisfy any traveler’s foreign cravings. Below are a handful of recipes that stood out to me, and that I excitedly sampled!

Spinach and Quinoa Fritters from Otavalo, Ecuador

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 large white onion, diced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying

2 cups diced fresh mushrooms

2 cups chopped spinach

Salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder to taste

3 large eggs

1/4 cup gluten free panko or breadcrumbs (I decided to use panko…it added a great crunch!)

2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese (optional – I opted in, and the cheese lover in me wished I had used more! If omitted, adding a little more salt is recommended to supplement.)

Directions

Prepare quinoa according to the directions on the package.

In a large frying pan, sauté onion in 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add mushrooms and spinach and sauté for 3 minutes or until fully cooked.

Remove pan from heat. Add quinoa to spinach, mushrooms, and onion mixture and mix ingredients.

Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl and combine with eggs, panko or breadcrumbs, and cheese, if using.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Once oil is sizzling, cooking four pieces at a time, spoon 1 tablespoon of mixture into the frying pan. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Garlic & Basil Spaghetti Squash from Burano, Italy

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 large white onion, sliced into rings

2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups cooked, shredded spaghetti squash (noted below)

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup basil leaves or more if desired

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup diced buffalo mozzarella (optional)

Directions

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic until onion is translucent and garlic is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Add spaghetti squash, tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper.

Mix for 2 minutes then serve warm and top with mozzarella if desired.

How to Cook a Spaghetti Squash

Score the whole squash with a knife 8-10 times to help vent out steam. This will prevent your squash from exploding in the microwave.

Place the squash on a microwave safe dish and add a little water to the bottom, to help from having the squash dry out.

Microwave your squash in 5-minute increments until fork tender. Depending on the strength of your microwave, this could take anywhere from 5-25 minutes.

Once cooked, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then, cut in half lengthwise and using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard.

Using a fork, scrape the flesh against the grain to create your spaghetti squash “noodle” strands.

Bailey’s Irish Mousse

from Dublin, Ireland

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

3 (8 ounces) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups fully whipped cream, plus more for garnish

10-12 gluten free chocolate chip cookies, crushed

Directions

In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add liqueur and beat until blended.

Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until fully melted. (I first tried melting the chocolate chips as the directions instructed, and after burning the batch, I added just a splash of milk and the smallest bit of butter.)

Using a rubber spatula combine melted chocolate, cream cheese mixture, and whipped cream. Fold together until evenly combined.

Spoon into small dessert dishes or glasses.

Allow mousse to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving. Top with cookies and additional whipped cream.

Filet Mignon with fresh herb & garlic rub from Rosheim, France

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4-6 garlic cloves, minced or more if desired

2 teaspoons minced fresh basil

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 (4 ounces) beef tenderloin steaks, 1-inch thick

1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Combine garlic, basil, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Rub evenly over steaks.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.

Add steaks to pan and cook 4 minutes on each side or until cooked to desired doneness.

Lauren DeLeo is an adventure-seeking middle school social studies teacher, eagerly waiting for her next opportunity to discover new parts of the world.