I enjoy eating vegetarian and vegan but finding recipes and places to eat out without compromising my food allergy health are a real challenge. Trying to find vegan/vegetarian meals without Alliums ie: onions, garlic, scallions, chives, shallots, asparagus, and leeks, is nearly impossible. The last time I went to a Vegan restaurant, I was offered steamed veggies as an entrée.

The grocery stores are full of pre-made fresh and frozen vegetarian/vegan meals. I stand for what feels like hours in the aisles reading labels trying to find Allium, Gluten and Soy Free products to no avail. Out of necessity, I have had to create my own. The upshot is that eating out and finding pre-made foods for vegetarians/vegans with an Allium allergy is challenging. Find some recipes you think you would enjoy and substitute the Alliums with these changes. Substitute Celery, carrots, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, fennel bulb, jicama, asafetida powder (also known as Hing powder) for any recipe that calls for onions or garlic or other alliums. When using asafetida powder, be cautious. It is potent and a little goes a long way. It cannot be substituted 1:1 in a recipe. It is recommended that it be sautéed with oil to get a less pungent taste. Fennel is a licorice flavored vegetable, however, when chopped and sautéed it has less of a licorice taste. My go to is celery, the texture is like garlic and onions and if I add a little cayenne pepper, I don’t miss the garlic or onion flavor.

The restaurant landscape has changed dramatically in the past 15 years. There are more choices for vegetarian and vegan eating. Most restaurants acknowledge that people want more meatless options and have vegan and vegetarian choices on their menus. In our fast-food society, even so called “healthier” options can be not so healthy. When cooking at home you can control what goes into your food and what kind of oil it is cooked in.

But if you want to eat out, here are some suggestions:

• Many folks will go to Indian restaurants and find lots of choices for flavorful meals. For those of us with an Allium allergy, choices are limited there. If you can find a Jain restaurant, you may be in luck. Jains are strict vegetarians but also do not eat root vegetables and some types of fruits. Jainism is one of the world’s oldest religions, originating in India. The supreme principle of Jain living is nonviolence. Jain cuisine is completely lacto-vegetarian and excludes root and underground vegetables such as potato, carrots, garlic, onion to name a few. Uprooting a plant for consumption is considered killing the plant, therefore is not allowed in the Jain diet. If you are fortunate enough to find a Jain restaurant, enjoy, but be cautious. Chives can be part of some dishes because it is trimmed from the plant above ground allowing for regeneration. Try asking for a dish without it. Some Indian grocery stores carry frozen Jain dishes. But again, read the labels.
• Eat Asian, go for vegetable sushi, steamed veggies and rice, and bring your own sauce, condiments, and spices. Some restaurants will sauté your choices with ginger and oil. If you can tolerate soy, eel sauce is a tasty option and, in most cases, is allium free. Plum sauce is also a tasty option.
• Try Poke restaurants and build your own bowl. Get the sweet soy sauce on the side if you can tolerate soy or bring your own safe sauce.
• Call ahead to the vegan/vegetarian restaurant of your choice and let them know you are coming and what allergies you are dealing with. Ask if the chef can make some suggestions and accommodations. Always bring back up snacks and condiments, spices and sauces that are safe for you in case all they can offer you is steamed vegetables.

It is possible to eat vegetarian/vegan with allergies, it just requires a bit of imagination and flexibility.