7 Allergy-Friendly Kitchen Hacks with Fruit and Vegetable Juices

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Head to the beverage aisle and you will discover a unique world of unsweetened 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices. They’re naturally free of top allergens and can work delicious wonders in your kitchen.

Smoothies

Whether you serve it in a bowl or a glass, almost any blend will drink up the flavors from pure carrot, orange, pineapple, cherry, pomegranate or blueberry juice. Use it for all of the liquid called for and skip adding any sugars.

Pancakes

The acid in buttermilk helps to tenderize and provide lift to pancakes with baking soda. But an equivalent amount of orange, grapefruit, or pineapple juice can provide the same benefits along with lovely underlying flavor.

Muffins, Breads & Cakes

Got multiple food allergies? Rather than hunt for that elusive package of top allergen-free milk beverage, use your favorite unsweetened juice for all of the liquid in your recipe. Be sure to match the flavor profile with your selection, and consider reducing any added sugars by 1/4 cup or more if using a relatively sweet fruit, like prune, apple or grape.

Ice Pops or Cubes

Simply pour a favorite fruit juice into freezer-pop molds and chill for a cool, free-from, anytime treat. Extra juice can also be frozen into cubes and added to iced tea for a tasty infusion.

Wine Swap

Skip the added sulfites and use cranberry, pomegranate or tart cherry juice to deglaze and add body while cooking, instead of using red wine. If your recipe calls for a splash of white wine, white grape juice will do the trick.

Jellied Dessert

For a healthier twist on a classic, place 1/2 cup of cold unsweetened fruit juice in a bowl and sprinkle with one .25-ounce envelope of unflavored gelatin. In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of the fruit juice to a boil. Pour the boiling juice over the gelatin juice mixture, and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Pour the mixture into 4 small dishes, and refrigerate for several hours.

Reduction

If you need to make quick use of ample juice, place it in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Gently boil until the liquid has reduced significantly and taken on a syrupy consistency, about 1 hour. Use as a base for salad dressings and marinades or as a healthier dessert or waffle topping with fresh fruit.