An integral part of acclimating to your new diet is being able to fill the void created by your Best Avoided list. Below is a list of substitutions to help you along the way. A number of these are not direct substitutions but you will see from recipes in this book how they are adapted to work in place of the items on your Best Avoided list.
BREAD—As mentioned earlier, wheat is a Neutral grain for Type B but not desirable. The best option is to look for pure spelt, oat, or brown rice/millet breads. Many stores do not carry these breads, however they are accessible online. They are often less expensive to order online in bulk and store in the freezer. Bakers make flax, garlic-basil, and banana-walnut varieties, as well as bagels, rolls, hot dog buns, and even flatbreads, which are a perfect base for pizza. Just be sure to read labels carefully because many breads contain ingredients that may not work for your blood type.
PASTA—Spelt or brown rice pasta is fairly easy to come by these days, and found in most grocery stores. You want to look for a brand whose ingredients are nothing more than spelt or brown rice flour (or bran) and water. When cooking gluten-free (brown rice) pastas, the noodles will fall apart and become undesirably mushy if boiled too long. I recommend cooking rice pastas 3 to 4 minutes short of the recommended cooking time to ensure a good al dente texture for your pasta.
OIL—Vegetable, coconut, or soy oil is not recommended for most Type B diets, so what do you use in baking or cooking as an alternative? Olive oil is a Beneficial food for all Bs so you can stick with just that. Use light olive oil for baking so that there is not a pervasive olive taste in your baked goods. Of course, extra virgin olive oil is terrific for dressing salads or even a medium-heat stir-fry.
FLOUR—As a Type B, you have the best of both worlds: you can use the same flour combinations as both Type A and Type O, and both are used throughout this book. The approach to gluten-free baking used in this book is based on a combination of flours for texture and taste. Typically, you can use one of two combinations such as: brown rice flour, arrowroot starch, and millet. Brown rice flour can be swapped out for another hearty grain such as millet, amaranth, or quinoa. The other (not gluten-free) option is a spelt and oat flour mixture that works well as a base for most baked goods.
A great everyday baking mix for Type B is:
2 parts brown rice flour (2⁄3 cup for one batch)
1 part millet flour (1⁄3 cup for one batch)
1 part arrowroot starch flour (1⁄3 cup for one batch)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
or:
2 parts spelt flour (2⁄3 cup for one batch)
1 part oat flour (1⁄3 cup for one batch)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
The following are suggestions to show you how to put the recipes in this book together to create weekly menus for you and your family. They are arranged in a way to keep a balanced diet, but feel free to mix and match as you see fit. If you plan to follow the menu exactly, read it thoroughly ahead of time so you can see where you would need to buy a little extra to account for leftovers, and where it’s practical to plan/prep ahead. The purpose of menu planning is to make life as easy as possible by utilizing leftovers and planning more involved meals for weekends.
In addition to the list below, make sure you are drinking a minimum of six (8-oz.) glasses of water per day to stay properly hydrated.
BREAKFAST: Pear-Rosemary Bread NS with sliced banana and raw walnuts
LUNCH: Ratatouille NS with sliced mozzarella cheese
SNACK: Cucumber slices with Curried Egg Salad NS
DINNER: Chili, Sans Tomatoes
BREAKFAST: Blackstrap-Cherry Rice Granola NS, rice cereal, and almond milk with green tea and fresh blueberries
LUNCH: Leftover Chili, Sans Tomatoes with mixed green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil
SNACK: Pear and Apple Chips and Spicy Rosemary-Nut Mix NS
DINNER: Lemon-Ginger Salmon NS with Brown Rice Salad NS
BREAKFAST: Scrambled Eggs with Blueberry-Macadamia Muffins and green tea
LUNCH: Raw Kale Salad with Zesty Lime Dressing NS and leftover Lemon-Ginger Salmon NS
SNACK: Flax Crackers NS and Summer Squash Salsa NS
DINNER: Crispy-Coated Turkey Tenders with Apricot Dipping Sauce and Sweet Potato Ragu NS
BREAKFAST: Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage NS with green tea and fresh raspberries
LUNCH: Raw Kale Salad with Zesty Lime Dressing NS and leftover Crispy-Coated Turkey Tenders with Apricot Dipping Sauce
SNACK: Pear and Apple Chips and Spicy Rosemary-Nut Mix NS
DINNER: Grilled Radicchio and Walnut-Spinach Pesto NS
BREAKFAST: Blueberry-Macadamia Muffins with leftover Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage NS and green tea
LUNCH: Greens and Beans Salad NS with walnuts and crumbled feta
SNACK: Protein Blend™ Powder—Type B drink
DINNER: Tangy Pineapple and Beef Kabobs NS with Roasted Autumn Roots NS
BREAKFAST: Quinoa Muesli, banana slices, blueberries, and green tea
LUNCH: Leftover Greens and Beans Salad NS with leftover Tangy Pineapple and Beef Kabobs NS
SNACK: Carob–Walnut Butter–Stuffed Figs NS
DINNER: Mac and Cheese with Roasted Vegetables NS and Garlic–Creamed Spinach with Roasted Cauliflower NS
BREAKFAST: Swiss Chard and Cremini Frittata NS with green tea and pineapple
LUNCH: 1⁄2 Bacon Grilled Cheese NS with Roasted Parsnip Soup NS
SNACK: Almond-Butter Rice Cakes with Mini Chips NS
DINNER: Seafood Paella NS
BREAKFAST: Cherry Scones NS with almond butter and green tea
LUNCH: Kidney Bean Stew
SNACK: Grilled Pineapple with Chocolate Syrup
DINNER: Moroccan Lamb Tagine
BREAKFAST: Breakfast Egg Salad NS with green tea
LUNCH: Mint and Red Pepper Tabbouleh NS with leftover Moroccan Lamb Tagine
SNACK: Homemade Applesauce
DINNER: Shredded Turkey Bake
BREAKFAST: Quinoa Muesli with sliced bananas and fresh blueberries
LUNCH: Leftover Shredded Turkey Bake with mixed greens dressed in olive oil and lemon
SNACK: Grilled Pineapple with Chocolate Syrup
DINNER: Beef and Shredded Cabbage Soup NS and Red Quinoa–Mushroom Casserole with Fried Egg NS
BREAKFAST: Swiss Chard and Cremini Frittata NS with sliced pineapple and green tea
LUNCH: Leftover Red Quinoa–Mushroom Casserole with Fried Egg NS
SNACK: Cheese Toast NS
DINNER: Parchment-Baked Snapper NS
BREAKFAST: Broccoli-Feta Frittata NS with green tea
LUNCH: Navy Bean Hummus and Feta Sandwich NS
SNACK: Homemade Applesauce
DINNER: Rice and Bean Loaf NS with Spicy Collards NS and Baked Beans NS
BREAKFAST: Nut Butter–Granola Boats NS with green tea
LUNCH: Leftover Rice and Bean Loaf NS sandwiches
SNACK: Protein Blend™ Powder—Type B drink
DINNER: Spicy Seafood Stew NS
BREAKFAST: Spelt Pancakes NS with scrambled eggs and green tea
LUNCH: Salmon-Filled Radicchio Cups NS
SNACK: Crispy Spring Vegetable Cakes NS
DINNER: Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Basil-Cranberry Sauce NS with grilled turkey cutlets
BREAKFAST: Pear-Rosemary Bread NS with a poached egg and green tea
LUNCH: Fish Fillet Sandwich NS
SNACK: Crudités and Creamy Goat Cheese Dip NS
DINNER: Turkey Mole Drumsticks with Whipped Sweet Potato Soufflé and Broccoli and Cabbage Slaw with Raisins NS
BREAKFAST: Creamy Banana–Nut Butter Smoothie NS and green tea
LUNCH: Leftover Turkey Mole Drumsticks and Broccoli and Cabbage Slaw with Raisins NS
SNACK: Unibar® Protein Bar
DINNER: Salmon and Bean Cakes with Cilantro-Cream Sauce NS and Spicy Roasted Mustard Greens with Feta NS
BREAKFAST: Pear-Rosemary Bread NS with scrambled eggs and green tea
LUNCH: Leftover Salmon and Bean Cakes with Cilantro-Cream Sauce NS and romaine lettuce dressed in lemon and olive oil
SNACK: Marinated Mozzarella Balls NS with Flax Crackers NS
DINNER: Hearty Slow-Cooker Turkey Stew NS with Sweet-and-Salty Brussels NS
BREAKFAST: Turkey Bacon–Spinach Squares NS and green tea
LUNCH: Leftover Hearty Slow-Cooker Turkey Stew NS
DINNER: Mushroom Soup with Parsley Pesto NS with Green Tea–Poached Turkey Tenderloins NS
BREAKFAST: Blackstrap-Cherry Rice Granola NS and yogurt with green tea and fresh blueberries
LUNCH: Shredded leftover Green Tea–Poached Turkey Tenderloins NS with cranberries and walnuts over spinach greens with olive oil and lemon
SNACK: Marinated Mozzarella Balls NS with Flax Crackers NS
DINNER: Fig-Stuffed Turkey Breasts with Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Fried Sage NS
BREAKFAST: Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage NS with green tea and fresh raspberries
LUNCH: Leftover Fig-Stuffed Turkey Breasts with Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Fried Sage NS over Raw Kale Salad with Zesty Lime Dressing NS
SNACK: Unibar® Protein Bar
DINNER: Spiced Lamb with Wild Mushrooms NS with Broccoli–Northern Bean Soup NS
BREAKFAST: Spinach-Pepper Soufflé NS and green tea
LUNCH: Crunchy Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sweet Cherry Dip NS
SNACK: Farmer Cheese and Beet-Endive Cups NS
DINNER: Spring Pesto Pasta NS with grilled halibut
BREAKFAST: Savory Herb and Cheese Bread Pudding NS
LUNCH: Navy Bean Hummus and Feta Sandwich NS
SNACK: Tropical Fruit Salad with Mint and Lime Dressing NS
DINNER: Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie NS with Roasted Escarole NS
BREAKFAST: Maple-Sausage Scramble NS and green tea
LUNCH: Leftover Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie NS
SNACK: Roasted Cauliflower Bruschetta NS
DINNER: Baked Mahimahi with Crunchy Fennel Salad NS and Herbed Quinoa NS
BREAKFAST: Sweet Potato Muffins with Carob Drizzle with almond butter and green tea
LUNCH: Baked Falafel NS and Roasted-Eggplant Greek Salad NS
SNACK: Tropical Fruit Salad with Mint and Lime Dressing NS
DINNER: Greek Lamb Burgers NS and Broccolini with Crispy Walnut Bacon NS
BREAKFAST: Nut Butter–Granola Boats NS with yogurt and green tea
LUNCH: Leftover Broccolini with Crispy Walnut Bacon NS wrapped in Boston Bibb lettuce with goat cheese
SNACK: Crudités and Navy Bean Hummus NS
DINNER: Turkey-Ginger Stir-Fry NS with Carrot-Ginger Soup NS
BREAKFAST: Breakfast Egg Salad NS with green tea
LUNCH: Leftover Carrot-Ginger Soup NS and 1⁄2 Bacon Grilled Cheese NS
SNACK: Roasted Cauliflower Bruschetta NS
DINNER: Pasta Carbonara with Asparagus NS with Greens and Beans Salad NS
BREAKFAST: Sweet Potato Muffins with Carob Drizzle with almond butter and green tea
LUNCH: Leftover Greens and Beans Salad NS with walnuts and fresh mozzarella
SNACK: Crudités and Creamy Goat Cheese Dip NS
DINNER: Fish Tacos with Bean and Crunchy Fennel Slaw NS
BREAKFAST: Oat Crěpes and green tea
LUNCH: Melted Mozzarella–Onion Soup NS
SNACK: Baked Grapefruit
DINNER: Turkey Pot Pie with Crunchy Topping NS