Pack Your Bags Allergenistas: We’re Headed to Greece!

Nothing says Greek food more than gyros. And who says you can’t enjoy this Greek delight when you have food allergies? Certainly not me!

Though the recipe is quite easy, there are two snags:

First - where do I get the pita bread? Problem solved. Evanston’s Rose’s Wheatfree Bakery will sell you the most wonderful gluten-free, dairy-free pita bread! Sorry, they don’t ship yet, but it’s worth the trip up North if you are in the Chicagoland area.

Second - which is a bit more difficult, making the cucumber sauce, or what Athenians would call Tzatziki sauce. Traditional Tzatziki sauce contains cucumber (peeled, seeded and diced), ½ cup yogurt, ¼ cup sour cream, one garlic clove (minced) and one tablespoon of fresh dill (minced).

Depending on your allergies, you have a few options:

• Tofutti makes a product, Sour Supreme, though please note it contains soy and maltodextrin (waiting to hear back from the manufacturer on the source of the maltodextrin);
• Nasoya’s tofu silken can be used as a substitute for sour cream;
• And for a tasty alternative to yogurt, try Turtle Mountain’s So Delicious Dairy Free Yogurt that’s made with coconut milk (not sure about this one, I am looking for it on the shelves)

Ok, now for the main event: the meat. And make sure to slice some onions and tomatoes to accompany this new version of an ancient Greek classic!

Gyros
Serves 4

1 pound ground lamb
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1½ teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon corn or potato starch

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl.
Pack meat into a loaf pan lined with Saran wrap.
Press meat down with a weight and refrigerate for one hour.
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Remove saran and bake gyros meat until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
Slice thinly and serve with tomatoes and onions.