Diets and Dietary Restrictions

Making any kind of diet is not easy for anyone, especially when you are a chef and have to cook and often experience various types of food. Allergies are a big problem faced by chefs in setting up menus. As a chef we have to think and create alternatives to include options for people with allergies or food restrictions, either by choice or not.

Pumpkin Puree & Zucchini Rondelli & Cauliflower Pizza &

Grilled Chicken Ricotta & Almonds Mushrooms & Veggies

As an experiment I chose the restriction of gluten in a diet of 7 days and I used these types of food to eat because even though I am not allergic to gluten, I like to restrict its consumption because I feel better without it in my diet.

I have options for breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner with a few of my creations to replace dishes that we usually use wheat to make. If the idea is not no consume gluten, or even replace carbs with a low calorie option, the dish has to be appealing to the eye, with lots of texture and colours. For example, I have zucchini spaghetti and zucchini rondelli, eggplant lasagna and cauliflower pizza.

Making and maintaining a gluten free diet is not so difficult in my case, because bread and pasta made with wheat are not a type of food that I miss or want to eat. Also, whenever I feel like I need to lose a few extra pounds, I do this type of diet and it works very well.

The point is, as a chef, we have to think of alternatives with flavour and quality on a restaurant's menu for inclusion of clients with allergy or other types of diet.

Here is my special recipe for cheese bread. This bread is so common for Brazilians, as donuts are for North Americans and Canadians.

Cheese bread recipe:

Ingredients

- 500g sweet yucca flour

- 500g three cheese mix (parmesan, asiago and provolone)

- 4 whole eggs

- 50ml vegetable oil

- 100ml water

- 50ml 35% milk

Procedure

In a bowl mix both flours. In a pan add the oil, water and 35% milk and let it boil. Dump the hot liquid mix into the flour. With a wood spoon or a spatula, add the eggs and the three cheese mix. Use your hands and knead the dough for about 3 minutes. The dough needs to be at the point to roll into 25g balls, without sticking to the hands. Preheat the oven to 350F for 5-10 minutes. Bake the cheese balls for about 10-20 minutes at the same temperature.

Tip

The balls can be maid in advance and be frozen. Afterwards, the cheese bread can go directly into the preheated oven.

​Hondina Silva