My Best Friend Is Gluten-Free: 100+ Asian-Inspired Recipes for Bringing People Together

At last, a gluten-free spotlight on Asian flavors, with plenty of plant-based, dairy-free, vegetarian, and pescatarian options!

Anyone who eats (or cooks) a gluten-free diet understands the struggles of avoiding gluten. In East Asian and Southeast Asian foods especially, gluten is hard to avoid: it's embedded in integral staples like soy sauce and gochujang and foundational foods like noodles and dumplings. But the struggle is over! In My Best Friend Is Gluten-Free, you'll find completely gluten-free recipes that celebrate a spectrum of Asian flavors.

Inspired by her celiac husband and wanting to share foods from her Chinese-Canadian upbringing with him, Jannell Lo set out to create gluten-free options for her favorite recipes, plus some creative takes of her own. Designing flavorful and inclusive dishes let Jannell explore her own cultural identity through food in new and meaningful ways. The result: this cookbook, with chapters that include salads and fresh bites in Tossed & Assembled, satisfyingly saucy pairings in Nice with Rice, crispy stir-fries in Fried & Sizzled, and easy Sweet Treats with textural flair.

My Best Friend Is Gluten-Free is exciting for all eaters, gluten-free or not, with:

• Gluten-Free Solutions to Asian Classics: For anyone feeling left out at restaurants, find GF answers to Canto-Style Mapo Tofu, Japanese-Style Curry, and Hot & Sour Soup.
• Barrier-Breaking Recipes: Cross culinary borders--think Thai, Chinese, Filipino--with Tom Yum Corn Chowder, Shanghai Stir-Fried Gnocchi, and Pavlova with Calamansi Curd inspired by Jannell's travels as a third-culture chef.
• Easy Everyday Meals for All Dietary Needs: Whip up weeknight wins like Rice Cake Soup, Chili Miso Salmon, and Roasted Coconut Tamari Chicken with plant-based, vegetarian, dairy-free, and pescatarian options!
• Menus for All Occasions: Serve friends and family multi-course menus like a cozy holiday feast, a Lunar New Year dinner, or a sumptuous plant-based spread.

With eye-catching illustrations and vibrant photos, My Best Friend Is Gluten-Free is an accessible and fun exploration of a world typically off-limits to gluten-free eaters. Finally, you can make your favorite Asian dishes at home.

Author: Jannell Lo
Publisher: Appetite by Random House
Published: 10/21/2025
Pages: 264
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.38lbs
Size: 10.08h x 7.95w x 0.94d
ISBN: 9780525612780

About the Author
Jannell Lo is a food creator and writer with a decade of experience working in the food industry, from being a line cook in Hong Kong to honing her pastry skills in Montreal and managing catering operations in her hometown of Toronto. As the founder of the blog My BF Is GF, she champions gluten-free cuisine inspired by her travels and Chinese-Canadian upbringing. Her fundraising initiative, Dump the Hate, has made a significant impact in supporting organizations that fight anti-Asian prejudice. Jannell has written for Food52, and has been featured by Food Network Canada, Cherry Bombe, and more. She lives in North Vancouver, where she enjoys nature walks, picnics, and beach time with her husband (and the best friend who inspired her blog), Reid.