Gluten Free Baking:
Eating Healthy Snacks
The Gluten Free Way
Other than the grain itself, all ingredients commonly used to make healthy snacks in gluten free baking such as milk, butter, eggs, sugar, fruits and vegetables, plus nuts and seeds are already naturally gluten free. Therefore, the only ingredient you need to adjust is the grain. Types Of FlourRemoving all types of wheat, rye, barley and often oats from your baking is possible by just substituting your regular flour for a gluten free flour blend(s). Flours which are free of gluten include corn, rice, potato, soy, chestnut, buckwheat, millet, garbanzo (also known as chickpea, gram or channa), tapioca, or sorghum flour.A wonderful itemized listing of many of the different types of gluten free flour and their ideal usages can be a godsend in the kitchen. All the work of trial and error has already been accomplished for you so you can achieve excellent results early in your transition to gluten free cooking and baking. For best results, mixing and matching different flour blends will give you a tastier final product. Often on-line stores, health food stores, organic foods stores and grocery stores do carry pre-mixed flour blends which are used for baking gluten free. Pick up a few, experiment and find out which flavors your family prefers the most. Why Is Gluten Free Different Than Regular BakingFor the beginner, gluten free baking can be a bit of a challenge. Removing gluten from your flour also removes the elasticity in your baked goods. This elasticity is what gives you the "sponginess" of bread. Without replacing something for the gluten, your breads will turn out dry and dusty with very little to no rising. Several products, Xanthan Gum and Guar Gum can be used to replace this stretch factor.How To Buy Gluten Free IngredientsDo not let anxiety about never again being able to enjoy bread or pasta trouble you. Many very good, if not better mixes are available for your convenience. The difficulty can arise though about the quality of your ingredients. Oats is a prime example. Oats themselves are gluten free. The problem arises though when many grain farmers that grow oats also grow wheat, barley and rye products. Therefore, shared harvesting equipment, storage, transportation, or even contamination by the wind in the fields makes the oats off-limits for gluten free baking. You must be careful and purchase from companies that can guarantee their products are safe from cross-contamination.Therefore there is no reason to let gluten be an obstacle in your enjoyment of your diet. Shop around, read labels and buy safely. Then collect your gluten free baking ingredients and enjoy some time experimenting with your favorites in the kitchen.
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*Disclaimer*
This site is not intended to replace the advice and supervision of your professional medical treatment plan. Although all of the information is true and accurate to the best of our knowledge, we still recommend you carefully check all food labels before consuming any food product. We can not assume any legal responsibility for any illness obtained while following the advice contained on this site.
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