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I have tried every single diet known to man. I've done Keto (a few times), Paleo, Whole30, 21 Day Fix, you name it. As I have gotten older, I have learned to appreciate my body and all the incredible things it's capable of! I have come to the conclusion that I value strength, both mental and physical, over being bone skinny. With that, I have found food freedom and don't ever deprive myself of the good things in life just to save a few calories. I hated that shaky, irritable, isolating feeling of being on a strict diet. It's not a sustainable lifestyle for someone who has no self-control when ice cream or wine is put in front of them.
I have learned a lot about what my body can handle and in all honesty, I still incorporate a lot of concepts from the keto, paleo, and Whole30 diets into my everyday life. But I am still eating chips by the bagful, ice cream sandwiches 3x/week, and rice on the regular with dinner. I have learned that carbs are not my enemy, BUT my body strongly dislikes wheat-based carbs. I get wildly bloated, have stomach issues, and get a massive mental fog. I still eat all the rice, potatoes and other carby side dishes, I just can't do a heavy amount of pasta or bread! I'd rather feel good than enjoy 5 minutes of eating something that makes me feel awful! After years and years of crash dieting, I've established a good balance of indulgences and healthy swaps for wheat-based products!
As your local (self-proclaimed) Trader Joe's Hoe, I wanted to create this list with my favorite tried and true wheat-free alternatives that are (basically) just as good as their wheat-filled counterparts! TJ's is always in front of the trends and meeting their consumers where they're at. They come up with delicious healthy swaps for some of your most favorite foods that you may not be able to tolerate anymore! And let's be honest, most wheat-based carbs (bread, chips, pasta, crackers) are basically just used as a vehicle to get the good stuff to your mouth anyway (tacos, pizza, dips, pasta). Let's get into it!
Six of the best wheat-free and gluten-free swaps from Trader Joe's
1. Gluten Free Norwegian Crispbread
Find them near all the crackers and other crackery snacks
I buy two of these every week. These seedy, crisp crackers are about the size of my hand and have a million different uses! Typically, I'll use these as a toast substitute in avocado toat with a bit of smoked salmon, lime, and sriracha! They are SUPER crispy and are pretty hefty to hold a solid amount of food! They now come in a smaller size, (take one of these and chop it 1/4), which are best used with thick dips!
They come in at only 3 net carbs (total carbs minus the fiber). The ingredients are simple and easy to pronounce: sunflower seeds, oat flakes, sesame seeds, flax seeds, rice bran, honey, potato fiber, rapeseed oil, salt, beet sugar fiber, and water.
2. Cauliflower Thins
Find them in the refrigerated section near all the dips, wraps, and individually packaged salads
One of the newer additions to the TJ's family, these cauliflower thins are just as they state on the packaging- SO VERSATILE! Made from 60% cauliflower, it really has us asking, what can't cauliflower do?! These puppies have only 4 simple ingredients (cauliflower, eggs, cheese, and yeast) and come in at only 100 calories per TWO. I am currently eating these as a sandwich right now!
Some of my favorite ways to use these Cauliflower Thins are:
As sandwich bread
As a mini pizza crust
I sautee them in a skillet on both sides then put some marinara sauce, cheese, and some basil on top and they're the perfect, ready in 5 minutes, mini pizzas!
As a tortilla substitute for tacos and wraps!
I've found that if you warm them up a littttttttle bit then they become more pliable and don't rip in half as easily
In reality, you can use these for whatever you want! The cauliflower flavor is minimum and as long as you can mentally tell yourself they're not going to be an exact dupe for bread, pizza crust, or a tortilla, then you'll be pleasantly surprised!
3. Cauliflower Crisps
Find them near all the crackers and other crackery snacks
Again, bear with me as I try to convince you that cauliflower is the most versatile food on earth. How many foods can turn into crackers, bread substitutes, gnocchi, and rice?! The only other answer would be any wheat-based product, HA! I will be completely honest, I love these crackers so much and always have a minimum of 2 bags in my pantry, but they do have a bit of an offputting smell. To me, these have the most cauliflower-y smell of them all but still taste great!! I devour them with my quick 3 ingredient goat cheese and marinara dip, then lick the bowl clean. No shame.
I am a big fan of using these "crackers" as a vehicle for allllll the dips! My favorite dips being the Trader Joe's Artichoke & Jalapeno dip or their new insanely delicious Everything and the Elote dip. I devoured the entire dip and a whole bag of these crackers in one sitting. Run, don't walk to these guilt-free crackers!
4. Cauliflower Gnocchi
Find these in the freezer section either near the vegetables or other Italian food
I promise this is the LAST cauliflower-based wheat-free find at Trader Joe's! These are a great substitute when you're craving some squishy pasta goodness. These are also so versatile I even have used them as a dumpling doup in a chicken soup (check out that recipe here if you haven't tried it already- it's almost soup season!) It's just as easy to cook as pasta or regular gnocchi and almost as pillowy soft! Again, this one does have a bit of an offputting cauliflower smell but within a few bites you forget all about it! I have seen people turn these into savory indulgences and sweet desserts!
The only warning I will give- DO NOT follow the package cooking instructions. You will be left wildly disappointed and hungry. The best way to prepare these is either in the air fryer or in the oven. 400 degrees for 20 ish minutes usually does the trick. Shaking the sheet pan or air fryer basket every 5-10 minutes to make sure every side has a chance to crisp up.
5. Jicama Wraps
Find these in the refrigerated produce section
Another one of the newest Trader Joe's additions, these Jicama Wraps quickly became a weekly purchase in our household! They only have ONE ingredient- jicama (shocking, right?) and come in at only 15 calories per TWO slices. It is virtually flavorless and has a nice crunch to it. Think, a freshly washed and still a little wet, thinly sliced iceberg lettuce. I have only ever used these as a taco shell/as a wrap, and I think I may prefer these over the Cauliflower Thins. These bring in such a fresh and crisp element into something typically feeling heavy. Have you checked out my Jicama Wrap Spring Rolls?
The only hesitation I will say is, these can be a little slimy. It's nothing a simple pat down with a paper towel can't fix. I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised.
6. Brown Rice & Quinoa Pasta
Find this in the inner aisles with all the pasta
Last but not least, everyone's favorite weeknight meal. The quick, easy and delicious pasta! I feel like the typical American diet has pasta at a minimum of 4-5x per month, or is that just me? There's nothing more comforting than a big bowl of pasta just the way you like it- everyone has their preferred pasta, right? I love mine with an overwhelming helping of marinara sauce, some goat cheese, and fresh basil. My husband eats his with about a pound of alfredo sauce and a generous handful of parmesan cheese. Not a whole lot of nutritional value. To supplement that, I usually swap out traditional pasta with either brown rice/quinoa pasta, or a chickpea/lentil pasta! That way I know we are getting at least some nutritional value in our meal!
This pasta has three simple ingredients- brown rice, quinoa flour, and water!
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