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Gluten Free
This section obviously deals with all things concerning gluten intolerance. The first section in the drop-down menu above is called "Gluten-Free | My Story." This section is to describe how I learned about this disease, the growing need for awareness of its existence and how I started working on finding ways and recipes to use when cooking or baking for others with this disease.
The second section in the Gluten-Free drop-down menu will be for recipes I have actually tried, what worked and what didn't - and as far as I am able to tell, why it didn't work. Wheat flours work far differently in a recipe than cooking with alternative flours required on a gluten free diet. While going gluten free is not only about cakes and breads, it is very difficult trying to live without them, when they are so visible all around us. This is hard enough on an adult, but for a child to be told they cannot have the pretty cake all their friends are having, must surely be a heartbreaking thing for a parent to see.
So far, I have mainly used old recipes I have made repeatedly through the years with regular (wheat) all-purpose flours, or cake flour. I substitute whichever gluten free all-purpose flour blend I have at the moment for the wheat flour, and add a little xanthan gum for stability, and the cakes have been coming out spectacularly. I will post recipes as often as time permits, though many of them will be links over to a regular recipe, where I will give instructions for what I did, which flour blend and how much xanthan gum I used to make it come out right. In the list at right, if it is a converted non-gluten-free recipe, I will link back to the original recipe, but will give the substitutions and any other changes under NOTES > GLUTEN-FREE. This is a relatively new thing for me, only coming to learn about it one year ago, so there is much I will still learn, and as I learn, I will pass tidbits on to all of you.
The third section in the Gluten-Free drop down menu is an index to all the gluten-free recipes in this website. Whether listed here at right or not, many recipes are naturally gluten free and all those that fit this criteria, even if they require a little hunting for a gluten free version of a product to use in the recipe. It is heartening to me, seeing that the greater amount of the recipes in this site so far are gluten free or easily converted.
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GLUTEN-FREE BAKING recipe list
Apricot Banana Bread
made even more delicious with apricots and nuts
Caramelized Sugar Cake
another delightful converted wheat flour cake
Chestnut Cheesecake
an exquisite cheesecake, especially around the holidays
Chocolate Cake
a delicious chocolate cake; Gluten Free or not
Ganache Filled Meringues
delicate, melt in your mouth morsels; easy to make
Gluten-Free Chocolate Mice
too adorable to miss; great for a childrens' party
Hazelnut Sweet Potato Tortes
moist, rich and so delicious
Luscious Bundt Coffeecake
my most favorite coffeecake is fantastic, gluten-free!
Marbled Pumpkin Chocolate Fiesta Cheesecake
another beautiful cheesecake with fantastic flavors
My Favorite Pancakes
moist and perfect - add fruit for a change now and then
Pumpkin Loaf
amazingly moist and tender; made for gluten-free baking
Rhubarb Coffeecake
this was so delicious I would make it again and again
Streusel Coffeecake
a couple more changes and this was a winner
Zucchini Bread
this comes out even better using gluten-free flour!
The fourth section in the Gluten-Free drop-down menu is called "Just the Facts, Ma'am." While I am not a doctor, there are many facts available to read about gluten intolerance. I had no idea that there are three categories of gluten intolerance! I had no idea how widespread. I do know how frustrating it can be to try and live by reading labels, finding that each thing you look at has that ingredient you cannot have in your diet. Reading a label for red licorice and finding it contained wheat, was a shock to me! In licorice?!
That section then, is just facts about gluten intolerance, celiac disease, some listings of foods that must be eliminated and foods that are good substitutes. Fresh, unprocessed fruits, vegetables and meats are always good, and should be the largest part of anyone's diet. This is no different for one with gluten intolerance. The breads, pizzas, cakes, pies and all the other goodies out there that are so very tempting - those are the problem. They are easily over-indulged delights for most people. Finding you are gluten intolerant and suddenly feeling like your life (as you knew it) is over, can be a complete shock. But there is light at the end of that tunnel. Have faith. I will continue to test recipes and pass them along.
That section then, is just facts about gluten intolerance, celiac disease, some listings of foods that must be eliminated and foods that are good substitutes. Fresh, unprocessed fruits, vegetables and meats are always good, and should be the largest part of anyone's diet. This is no different for one with gluten intolerance. The breads, pizzas, cakes, pies and all the other goodies out there that are so very tempting - those are the problem. They are easily over-indulged delights for most people. Finding you are gluten intolerant and suddenly feeling like your life (as you knew it) is over, can be a complete shock. But there is light at the end of that tunnel. Have faith. I will continue to test recipes and pass them along.
RAW Brownie Bites, Gluten-Free
Look into RAW Foods
I spent one year feeling the very best I have ever felt, on a RAW food diet. I hesitate to use the word "diet" as it sounds like a difficult regimen. Yes, going totally RAW was very different from any regular meal plan. Nothing is cooked, so this eliminates so many things from the diet; beans and other legumes that take cooking to make them edible, wheat and other heavy grains that though they CAN be used by long soaking, are still so hard it makes them less palatable, eggs (unless you choose to eat them raw), and other dairy. There would be no cakes, pies, breads, pizzas - at least not like those everyone else is eating! What there is an abundance of is vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds. All these are acceptable to one with gluten intolerance. I suggest looking into RAW food cookbooks or the many sites online with RAW recipes, as these would certainly be acceptable alternatives. There are plentiful desserts made RAW and truly delicious. Little snack items are easy to make and have on hand. Look into it!