Baking Gluten Free
Healthy Snacks
For Your Enjoyment

Need to start baking gluten free healthy snacks per your doctor? Let me clue you in right up front. Even if you are the best baker in the world - or you are no baker at all - forget everything you knew because you are going to learn all over again. Baking gluten free is not difficult, just different. By learning a few new basics and putting them to use, soon you will be turning out creations your normal friends and family will be envious of.

When you first get the news you must stay away from wheat, rye, barley and possibly oats - most people seem to think, no problem, out of all the foods in the world I can stay away from four things. As reality settles in though, and you come to realize gluten is in almost every processed food, pasta, bread, muffins, cake and pies, and on and on... Now is when you realize I must learn how baking gluten free is done.

Changing over from using all-purpose flour, wheat flour, oats or oatmeal plus any of the other now forbidden foods is easy - and different. Do not try substituting rice flour for wheat flour, potato starch for cornstarch etc. in equal amounts. The results will be a dry as dust, crumbly mess- no flavor, no moisture and just an inedible clump. Now is the time to find yourself a good cookbook on how to begin baking gluten free.

Diet Changes Are Done But Still Having Symptoms

Tips And Tricks For Eating and Baking Gluten Free

• Non-Dairy liquids: use soy, corn, rice or nut based milk products (beware if you have other allergies)-For a more extensive listing see the milk substitutes chart.

• Do not immediately switch over to a diet in high fiber foods (to avoid gluten) all at once. Your damaged intestine will not be able to process this over-load. Ease into high fiber foods at a slower rate.

• Eating away from home: Many hospitals, restaurants, airlines, friends' homes etc. all have good intentions but they do not understand your new dietary restrictions. Therefore "better safe than sorry" is your new motto. Always take along your own crackers, pretzels, cookies, fruit, hard cheese etc. that you have prepared and you know was done by baking gluten free.

• Wheat free is not necessarily gluten free: Products that are labeled wheat free do not necessarily have to be done by baking gluten free. These products may have been made with an alternative flour (spelt, rye or barley- based. All of these contain gluten)

• Before using all pre-mixed gluten free flours, stir the contents well. Flour mixtures have a tendency to separate and settle.

• Do not over-mix dry and liquid ingredients when combined. Too much stirring will yield a drier finished product.

• Quick and easy breakfast suggestion: Try juicing. Any combination or fruits and vegetables can be added to a juicier, blend for a few seconds to a minute and you have an exceptional alternative to the normal gluten free pancake or waffle.

• Beginning to feel like all those whole foods are bland and tasteless. Take a tip from some top chefs and mix your own spice "rubs". Remember almost all whole spices are gluten free. So go Mexican with a blend of cumin, garlic and cayenne. Italian is a perennial favorite with oregano, basil and garlic. A tropical flare can be obtained with allspice and lemon, lime or pineapple juice. Experiment and come up with your own favorite combinations.

Some Common Tips By Food Group

• Vegetables- when using canned vegetables always check the label for the following words: emulsifiers, preservatives, stabilizers, or food starch. If any of these are there avoid this product.

• Fruits- avoid thickened pie fillings

• Eggs- check all labels on egg replacers or egg substitutes for added grains or preservatives

• Breads-can only be used if the product was made with white or brown rice flour, arrowroot, potato flour, tapioca flour, soya(soybean), pea, corn, milo, bean or nut flour.

• Cereals- hot cereals from corn meal, cream of rice or hominy are OK. Cold cereals made from rice or corn are also OK but check labels carefully. Many cold cereals are combined with wheat ingredients also.

• Cheeses- all aged hard cheeses are usually OK (again check label). Cheddar, swiss, edam, muenster, gorgonzola, parmesan, brick, gouda, and monterrey. Soft cheeses must be carefully checked. Avoid if there is un-named vegetable gums or preservatives.

• Salad Dressings- beware of any that say grain vinegar, preservatives, food starch, stabilizers or dyes. Can use Hellmann's(regular only) mayonnaise

• Beverages, drinks and juices- Avoid anything that says instant (coffee, tea, cocoa, juice). Check all chocolate milks, ground coffees, and root beer.

• Broth- Use homemade only. All canned, boxed and bouillons are wheat-based.

• Fats and Oils- anything corn-oil based is safe but check the label to make sure there is no additives.

• Vinegars-Apple cider, corn vinegar, wine vinegars and balsamic vinegar only. All white vinegar is wheat based.
  

• Crackers and snack foods- rice wafers, soya crackers, and popcorn. Watch out for all labels that say "Made with pure corn products". Most manufacturers are now using wheat flour on their belts.

• Desserts- custards, junket, and homemade pudding from cornstarch, tapioca, rice and gelatin desserts are OK. Check carefully many ice creams and sherbets use wheat based stabilizers.

• Potato and Pasta products- white and sweet potatoes(fresh), yams, hominy, rice, corn pasta and oriental rice noodles are all OK.

• Yeast- Use only Protected Active Dry Yeast(PADY). Never use IADY, (Instant Active Dry Yeast)

By consistently checking food labels and relying on some help from some former "newbies", you can and will be able to master the art of baking gluten free and eating a sensible diet to help protect your future health.

Return to "Gluten Allergy" from "Baking Gluten Free".