Alright, so today I wanted to talk about something that took over my kitchen for a while: gluten-free sides. Yeah, not the most glamorous topic, but when you suddenly gotta deal with it, it’s a real thing. For me, it wasn’t a choice, more like a doctor’s order for a family member. Suddenly, all our usual go-to sides were out the window. Pasta salads? Nope. That nice crusty bread with dinner? Forget it. Couscous? Also a no-go. I was staring at our dinner plates thinking, “What on earth am I gonna put there now?”
The Initial Panic and Bland City
My first attempts were, let’s be honest, pretty pathetic. I basically served a lot of plain steamed vegetables. Steamed broccoli, steamed carrots… you get the picture. Exciting, right? Not really. Then I ventured into the “gluten-free alternatives” aisle at the supermarket. Bought some gluten-free pasta to make a side salad. Some brands were okay-ish, others tasted like, well, like sadness. And they cost a small fortune! I remember trying to make some kind of gluten-free breadcrumb topping for a bake, and it just turned into a soggy mess. It was a frustrating period, lots of sighs in the kitchen, and more than a few dishes that went straight into the compost bin.
Figuring Things Out (Slowly)
I realized I was making it harder than it needed to be. I was so focused on replacing gluten that I wasn’t thinking about all the stuff that’s naturally, wonderfully gluten-free. Potatoes! Rice! So many vegetables are already good to go without any fancy, expensive substitutes. It was like a lightbulb moment, even though it sounds super obvious now. I just had to shift my thinking from “what can’t we have?” to “what can we have, and how can I make it awesome?”
My Go-To Gluten-Free Side Strategies Now
So, I started experimenting. It wasn’t overnight, but I found some winners. Here’s what I started doing, and what actually worked for us:
- Roasting became my best friend. I mean, seriously. Chopped up some sweet potatoes, tossed ’em with olive oil, smoked paprika, and a bit of salt. Roasted until crispy. Amazing. Same with broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts. A little oil, some seasoning, high heat in the oven – magic.
- Potatoes, in all their glory. We did baked potatoes, mashed potatoes (making sure no flour was used as a thickener if I was making gravy for something else), and my personal favorite, garlic and herb roasted potato wedges. Simple, but always a hit.
- Rice, but make it interesting. Plain rice is fine, but I started jazzing it up. Sometimes a pilaf with some sautéed onions and carrots (cooked in broth). Or a cold rice salad with chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and a lemon-herb dressing. Quinoa also made an appearance and was surprisingly good.
- Loads of vibrant salads. Not just lettuce, but big, hearty salads with lots of different veggies, maybe some beans or chickpeas, and a homemade vinaigrette. I learned that a good dressing makes all the difference.
Where We Are Today
Honestly, gluten-free sides are just part of our normal routine now. It took some trial and error, and yeah, a few culinary disasters along the way, but we got there. I don’t even think about it much anymore. I just grab some veggies, potatoes, or rice, and get creative with herbs and spices. It’s less about finding “special” products and more about using fresh, whole ingredients. And you know what? I think our side dishes are probably more varied and healthier than they were before all this started. So, it wasn’t so bad after all. Just took a bit of doing to figure it out.