Enjoying Gluten-Free Life

Breakfast and a Snack 

Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger is a fun little push to make a recipe or two from a blog, maybe something you’ve had on your must-try list. This month, Alta from Tasty Eats at Home is guest hosting while the originator of the event, Sea from Book of Yum, is in Japan working on her dissertation. Please note that this isn’t just for bloggers, anyone can make a recipe from a blog and join in.

Browsing through blogs, I came upon Relish SCD and liked what I saw. She’s on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) but don’t let that scare you away if you’re eating a regular gluten-free diet. You’ll find naturally gluten-free recipes on an SCD site because the diet is grain-free and, if you’ve wanted to cut back on refined sugar, you’ll also find that honey and fruit are the only sweeteners. This blogger is on the diet to heal her Crohn’s Disease.

The bowl at the top of the page looks like it’s filled with Hot Cereal and it really tasted like it was. It’s actually a porridge made from almond flour, sprinkled with raisins with honey drizzled over it. It was easy to make and so tasty that I had it again today for breakfast. She said to add cooked raisins at the end but I just threw them in at the beginning and added a little more water to make up for what they would absorb. I also walked away with the mixture for a few minutes at a time – not stirring it constantly as she said to – and it was fine.

Now, I have to say that this next photo isn’t the prettiest one I’ve even taken. In her recipe for Crunchy Butternut Squash Chips, she says that those that look burned taste good. They are quite good. Even though she said to leave the skin on the butternut squash, I peeled mine. I know it’s edible but it weirded me out.

I brought out my seldom used mandolin and sliced the chips very thin. I learned that they have to be as thin as possible and have to at least have brown on them to be flavorful. My husband – who doesn’t love veggies as much as I do – thought they were acceptable. (Trust me, that’s high praise for a vegetable.) I think I’ll sprinkle on some herbs and spices next time to give them a kick.

If you explore Relish SCD, you’ll probably find what I did, that her recipes tend to be made from ingredients that are already in your kitchen. I had everything including the squash.

Journey on over there and check it out!

Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger

This event is the brain-child of Sea Maiden at Book of Yum. She’s in Japan right now working on her dissertation while still being mom to a preschooler. She’s busy. Very busy. Several of us offered to host during the summer months.

I love reading through these posts because I’m introduced to bloggers I hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting before and I get to read about what others have made for the event and enjoyed. 

The dips that Valerie from City-Life-Eats made from Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen both look delicious. When Valerie says the Creamy Herb Sunflower Dip Dressing has a mouth-feel that reminds her of cream, she’s speaking to me. I have to give it a try.

 

 

The Caramel Dip for Apples just sounds like fun. I’ll have to give it a try when the fall crop of apples starts coming in.
 

 

Rachel from The Crispy Cook also made two recipes, these from the low-carb, gluten-free blog of an opera singer - Until The Thin Lady Sings. Blueberry Lemon Bars with stevia are a great combination of flavors and, with no sugar, I may have to give them a try.

 

 

The other recipe she made is Coconut Flour Cheese Biscuits. I’ve made a similar biscuit before but not with all of the seasoning that this one has. It should be a show-stopper.

 

Dawn from Cuter Than Gluten made Gluten-Free Easily’s Coconut Blueberry Pound Cupcakes then turned them into Cookie Monster cupcakes with her own frosting on top. They’re adorable and Dawn says the taste of the cupcakes truly is like pound cake.

 

 

 
Heather from Gluten-Free Cat adopted Hunter’s Lyonesse and made some cookies that I put on my must make list as soon as I saw them. Grain-Free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free, these Flourless Pumpkin Pie Cookies will be a great addition to my list of recipes this fall when pumpkins seem to be for sale on every corner.

Alta from Tasty Eats at Home adopted Hope for Healing and also made two recipes. The Blueberry Cornbread is a slightly sweet version of an old favorite that Alta’s family enjoyed.

The maple syrup and cinnamon in the Cashew Summer Granola she also made gave it nice a pop of flavor.

Sunny of And Love It Too made Diet, Dessert and Dogs’ Easy No-Cook, Grain-Free Breakfast Porridge and says it reminds her of Cream of Wheat. I have to try this. No-cook and grain-free makes the recipe defy logic but I love the ingredients in it and it looks – and Sunny tells us is - delicious.

The Watermelon-Basil Cooler Sunny also made is a great – and refreshing - choice now that there’s an abundance of watermelons that are now in stores and soon will be in farmer’s markets in our area. (I haven’t seen any yet.)

 

 

 

I wrote about Alta from Tasty Eats at Home. With all of the fresh peaches available right now, I felt compelled to try a couple of her peach recipes. (She has more.)

I think of scones as a good breakfast food and her Peach Macadamia Scones definitely fit that description. Moist and soft like a big cookie, they were a treat. (Who doesn’t think a big cookie for breakfast is a good thing?) As a matter of fact, I froze some and had them with my breakfast this morning. My husband, a huge fan of peaches, has particularly enjoyed her Creamy Peach Popsicles. Picture a luscious frozen peach with a hint of creaminess and you have these popsicles.

 Thanks to all who joined in! Want to be part of it next time? Bloggers and non-bloggers alike should check out July’s event which will be hosted by Sunny at And Love It Too. August will be hosted by Alta from Tasty Eats at Home.

 

Adopting Alta from Tasty Eats at Home

Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger allows everyone (even if you aren’t a blogger) to make a recipe or recipes from a blog then share a photo of the result. It isn’t easy to single out one blog, but after browsing through the recipes on Tasty Eats at Home, I knew I would enjoy trying some of her recipes.

That list of recipes is long and impressive, often a a bit exotic: Gluten-Free Turtle Soup, Shrimp Cauliflower Curry and Grilled Shark Steak. But some are homey favorites: Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread, vegan Strawberry “Cheesecake” with Almond-Macadamia Crust and Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Coconut “Buttercream” Frosting. And sometimes on her blog the exotic meets the homey: Shepherd’s Pie with Pumpkin Souffle, Minty Bison Meatballs and Peach Hatch Chile Cobbler.

Alta is like many of you; she works outside the home, then comes home and creates a healthy meal for dinner. Starting in 2009, when health issues were suspected to be linked to gluten, those meals became gluten-free, then a year later also dairy-free.

As I searched through her gluten and dairy-free recipes, I thought about what I wanted to make now. When I noticed some delicious looking peach recipes, I knew what to do. We’re starting to get sweet, juicy peaches here in Tennessee, and peach season is so fleeting that I wanted to embrace it with a Tasty Eats at Home peach extravaganza.

I first made her Peach Macadamia Scones. I did change the agave to honey (we do better with that) and didn’t have macadamia’s so had to sub another nut. I chose pecans. Next time I’ll make sure I have the macadamia’s – I think their mello flavor was the right pick. Like Alta, I’m used to a scone that’s dry. This one is soft and, to me, like a big cookie. A big, soft, healthy cookie - or two – for breakfast is a good idea and may make the world a better place.

My husband adores peaches so the next recipe was a no-brainer in the Brown home: Creamy Peach Popsicles. Popsicles filled with frozen peach and coconut milk are something kids will enjoy but are also a great grown-up treat. I can envision serving these as a fun dessert at a BBQ. Her recipe makes 6 popsicles, and the mold I use is for 4 so I made 2/3 of a recipe.

There are several months of peach season left so I’m pretty certain Alta’s Peach Cupcakes with Peachy Cream Frosting will make it onto our table before the air turns cool. They’re fruit-sweetened and that really intrigues me. Larry’s just in it for the taste.

Thank you, Alta, for taking the time to make and share your recipes!

Navy Wife Makes Every Home Joyful – and cooks up some great gluten-free food

I’m participating in the Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger event this month for the first time. Participants choose another blog, try a recipe or two (or three) and share with everyone what they’ve done. All of these recipes are from Emily’s joyfulabode.com. She’s a Navy wife with a toddler and another baby on the way any day (or here). And she has cute buttons on her blog like the one above :) While I don’t have any little ones at home, this is a great site for parents who want to make food without refined sugar even if your family isn’t gluten-free.

Emily also has craft and home & garden projects on her blog. But we’re here to eat.  So many of her recipes suited our tastes that I had a hard time choosing. Tip: She has a “grain-free” category, not gluten-free, so look for that. (For those new to gluten-free – or exploring the idea – gluten is only found in some grains, so as long as you verify that your other ingredients such as seasonings are gluten-free, these are naturally gluten-free recipes.)

This is my lunch to go:

First, I made her orange flavored Good Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pinenuts. My husband loves anything with orange in it, and I had about 2/3 of a beautiful organic orange left from another recipe so this was a perfect choice for us. (Plus I love chicken salad. See the avocado version I made for the Gluten Free Recipe Box interview.) I added the fresh squeezed orange juice until the mayo tasted like orange, so it was a bit runny but once combined with the chicken, it worked perfectly. I almost bought grapes for this recipe but remembered I had some strawberries in the fridge so I hope Emily doesn’t mind the switch. I had enough time for this to sit in the fridge for about 1/2 hour for the flavors to combine. Then I topped it with sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts because I had them and the texture was similar. The flavor was wonderful! I had mine on lettuce with tomatoes and avocado. My husband had his as a sandwich on his favorite Rudi’s bread.

I also made Emily’s Yummus Hummus which was my first attempt at using tahini. There are just the two of us so I cut the recipe in half – except for the garlic which we love. She said to add herbs to taste so I added basil and cumin (because I can taste cumin in the hummus I enjoy at the local gluten-free restaurant.) She also said it was really good with red pepper thrown in, and my husband loves that variety of hummus so I threw in some roasted red peppers. I like to dip carrots into hummus so here’s the photo:

I also made the Grain-Free Gluten-Free Sugar-Free Cookies of Awesomeness. I had to try a cookie with a name like that. I tried them twice. The first time, I was out of almond butter so made some with my blanched almond flour. This was creamy but without the stronger taste that regular almond butter has, so it didn’t have much flavor. To give these a chance, I bought my usual brand, Justin’s Classic Almond Butter, and tried again. They have an unusual texture, not quite cake-like but similar. I used mini chocolate chips but think I would prefer these cookies with chocolate chunks. I added quinoa flakes, cinnamon and some vanilla to part of the batter and liked those best. I think a creamer almond butter would result in a moister cookie.

I didn’t have time to make all of the recipe’s on the Joyful Abode site that appealed to me. Her Paleo Banana-Pecan Waffles make my mouth water but that will have to wait for another day. Thank you, Emily!

Helping Others with Great Food – and Science

Gluten Free Gigi, Gigi Stewart, restored her health and resolved decades of pain with a diet that is free of gluten, dairy, soy and nuts. A master’s degree in Behavioral Neuroscience with a focus in chronic pain gives her a uniquely scientific approach to food and healing. But Gigi’s site is still accessible and down-to-earth. Watch some of her how-to videos which include pancakes, dairy-free butterscotch chips and sunbutter (I made my first sunbutter after watching), and try some of the long list of recipes. My husband and I enjoyed her “Orange Baked Salmon.” (Photos below.)  You can also read about subjects such as iron deficiency anemia and autism.

Gigi is a mom who runs her business and homeschools but still finds time to cook healthy food for her family. Share in some of her wisdom here. (And, if anyone is uncertain about trying a gluten-free diet, read her answer to the last question.)

Living gluten-free means you’ll be spending time in the kitchen, sometimes a lot of time. What’s your favorite short-cut for making gluten-free food?

It sure does! I’m an advocate of cooking at home as much as you can, using whole foods and natural, organic ingredients, especially if you are on a special diet. This gives you maximum control of what is going into your body.

My favorite short-cut for having healthy, delicious gluten-free food available is to spend a few hours on the weekend (or whenever you have the most free time) and cook ahead.

Cooking dry beans in the slow cooker, putting a pot of homemade veggie or chicken stock on the stove, and baking a great loaf of gluten-free bread are things that can be done easily and can feed the family all week long. I have YouTube videos available for beans and stock showing just how simple this can be. I’ve also got a terrific gluten-free bread recipe that is low in fat, high in protein and fiber, and slices like a dream!

If you eat grains like quinoa, millet, or rice, I recommend cooking enough for a couple of meals during the week. If you can tolerate certified gluten-free oats, I even have a great baked oatmeal recipe that I love to make on Sunday morning in a double batch, then store leftovers in individual serving containers for a quick but hearty breakfast on busy mornings. I also have a baked quinoa dish that is fantastic for a healthy breakfast and can be made ahead and stored just like the baked oatmeal.

Prepping veggies in advance is also something I do to save time when I make a meal. I love doing this right after returning from the market. I prep, clean up, and store my veggies (dice an onion, cut a green pepper into strips, slice mushrooms, mince some garlic, wash greens and air dry then roll in a clean kitchen towel, and wash fruits like apples and grapes) then I’m set for a week of fantastic healthy meals with limited prep work.

Special flours and other ingredients cost more than gluten-full foods. Do you have a cost saving tip for eating gluten-free?

I do. As I said, one of my primary goals is to demonstrate how affordable living gluten free can be. My number one tip for saving money on your gluten-free (or any!) diet is to eat seasonally. If it’s growing in gardens in your area, then it will be more affordable at the market. Food in season tends to have a higher nutrient content, too, so you get a little bonus for eating seasonally.

Another great tip is to make more foods yourself. Even if you don’t cook or bake a lot, if you have something you eat often, for example, if you love to have a muffin and coffee for breakfast several days each week, find a great gluten-free muffin recipe and learn to make it. You’ll save a bundle making your own versus buying pre-packaged baked items.

The same goes for foods like cakes, cookies, and crackers. The store-bought varieties are pricey and often full of undesirable ingredients, high in calories, and high in fat. If you love cookies and serve them for dessert or a snack a few times each week, learn to make your favorite varieties gluten free. There are terrific resources out there these days with lots of recipes to try. I have lots of dessert recipes on my site that are so simple to make like Nut Free Sunbutter Cookies with only four ingredients, Dairy Free Fudge, and quick healthy Raw Nut Free Fudge that you just won’t believe! I think my Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes are my kids’ favorite, though! They love to use the Raw Nut Free Fudge as frosting for them!

It’s five o’clock and you’re walking in the door after a hectic day. What’s your go-to meal when it’s time to get a gluten-free dinner on the table in a hurry?

I’ll do something like a frittata or a stir fry where I’m able to use those pre-prepped veggies I mentioned earlier. With a frittata, I can sauté the veggies while I get eggs whipped and ready for the pan. If you can eat eggs, they are a terrific low-cost source of protein. For a stir-fry, again, those pre-prepped veggies come in handy. I get those cooking and heat up a pre-cooked grain in another pan (I do not own a microwave, so it’s all stovetop and oven heating for me!). I add some protein to the meal – again, usually something I pre-cooked like chicken or bison and we’re all set. For dessert, (we always have dessert at my house… always!) I love healthy homemade cookies with what I call “fruit bowl.” Cubed fruits that are in season tossed with a bit of fresh lime juice, a drizzle of honey, and a dash of cinnamon are just fantastic!

How did you discover you were intolerant of all nuts? Have you found a substitute for almond flour, a common flour in gluten-free recipes?

Two months after eliminating all gluten in my diet, I had a reaction to pecans. I tested other nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts, etc.) and had a reaction to all of them, so I avoid all types of nuts, except coconut, to which I have not experienced a reaction. I have encountered quite a few people who experienced similar reactions after going gluten free. The same thing happened to me with soy, as well, which is why I am also soy free.

Regarding almond flour, I never used it in large quantities, so no, I wouldn’t say I found a replacement, per se. I didn’t need one. I use a combination of gluten-free flours from alternative grains and legumes in my recipes. Because one of my primary goals is making gluten-free living accessible to everyone who needs to adhere to a gluten-free diet, I make it a point to use ingredients that are readily available in most areas and that are affordable, which factors into my flour selection and recipe development.

Many recipes call for not only the easily substituted milk or butter but also cream cheese or yogurt. Have you found it difficult to cook and bake without dairy products? Any tips? (I’m gluten, soy and casein-free so thank you!)

When I first went gluten free, I ate dairy, so used products like skim milk and non-fat yogurt in my cooking and baking. I never used a lot of butter in my baking prior to going gluten free, so didn’t afterward. I always tried to be creative replacing fat in recipes (I baked and catered prior to going gluten free, and healthy nutritious foods were what I was known for!), so continued this when I went gluten free. I find coconut milk yogurt is a good substitute for dairy yogurt in baking. It even adds a degree of sweetness to baked goods, so it allows me to reduce the amount of sweetener in baked goods, which is a bonus! It also helps keep gluten free baked goods moist, which is terrific! Cream cheese is a tough one. I have developed a recipe that so far works in most recipes. It is still in the R&D phase of development and needs to be tested in several more applications before I’m able to share it, but it is gluten, dairy, soy, and nut free. The recipe should be published later this year.

I recently interviewed one of the authors of “The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook” and am fascinated by the fact that dietary changes can make dramatic differences with some autistic children. In your blog, you mention you have a child with Asperger’s syndrome (an autism spectrum disorder). Can you share the dietary changes you’ve made for your child and the differences the changes have made?  

Thank you for asking about this. Autism Spectrum Disorders, especially Asperger’s Syndrome, are near and dear to my heart. First, that is because I have a daughter with AS, as you mentioned. However, before her diagnosis, I worked with ASD children and had already received my research training in Behavioral Neuroscience. Although my area of research expertise is in natural products research with a focus in chronic pain and analgesia (alleviation of pain), I am passionate about neuroscience and how foods we eat affect our neurochemistry, and ultimately our total health.

Because of my background in science, I knew adopting a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet was something we should explore for our daughter. We made the transition slowly and carefully. At the time, we already had a gluten free kitchen and my family was supportive of my need to be gluten free, so this part was not so difficult. When we came upon a food my daughter wanted, I simply made it gluten free (chips, crackers, doughnuts, etc.). As you can imagine, that led to a lot of recipe development! Going dairy free for her was more of a challenge. She loves cereal for breakfast and late-night snack, and yogurt has always been a favorite food for her. But, we did it! After the first 3 weeks of a totally gluten-free diet, her father and I noticed she was sleeping so much better and was much more calm than she had been. Her eczema, which she had since birth, went away completely, which was such a blessing! She was able to stop using medication for that, which was fantastic! Severe nasal allergies also improved and she has been able to use much less medication for that, so, again, we feel she has benefitted tremendously from going GFCF.

Of course, I do want to say, I am not an advocate of a “one-size-fits-all” diet. We are all unique individuals with unique needs, and I respect that. I know some parents who have implemented the GFCF diet for their ASD child and have not detected any appreciable differences. I know some ASD children who benefitted from a gluten-free diet, but who still eat dairy and vice versa. Part of what I do in private consultations is to help people find what works for them and what puts them on the path to optimal health and keeps them there. That can, by the way, change over time for each of us.

What would you say to someone who’s fairly certain they have a problem with gluten but hasn’t changed their diet because the thought of living gluten-free is overwhelming?

First, I would say, “I understand. A gluten-free diet is a major lifestyle change; however, it is so worth it and it can be simple, affordable, nutritious, and even fun! I know because I live it every day!”

Second, “I can help.” It is my passion to make gluten-free living a positive experience. I tell people a gluten-free diet is not about restriction. It is about liberation. If you need to be gluten free for health issues, in doing so, you liberate your health and heal your body. It is true freedom! In my case, I experienced a total transformation of health and for the first time in over 25 years, I was free from chronic pain and many other chronic, unexplained health issues I had suffered from since childhood. THAT is liberation!

Thank you Gigi!

My husband and I enjoyed a recipe from her website: Orange Glazed Salmon.

This salmon was so pretty with the orange zest (a gorgeous color combination)that I snapped a picture before baking. Coming from Alaska and having eaten a lot (I mean a lot) of salmon, I’m somewhat of a salmon expert and this was a lovely fresh take on the fish. It was also quick and extremely easy to make. (As to the photo of the cooked salmon, I really need to get some pretty plates to use for the photo shoots.)

 

Cooking Gluten-Free

 

Carla Spacher’s website offers up a wide variety of recipes with new ones popping up regularly. An addition this week looks delicious: Twisted Yeast Free Gluten Free Breadsticks with Cheese. In this interview, Carla describes her road to becoming gluten-free, the way she gets around her issues that also include a tomato allergy, and shares her cooking knowledge by answering some questions. Go to the end to see the photo and link to the delicious chicken salad I made with one of Carla’s recipes.

First – You use “we” on your site.

To explain the “we,” besides myself, I have 3 other product reviewers. The main gluten-free baking reviewer is Dr. Danielle West-Stellick. Everyone enjoys her reviews. She puts so much effort into them. The other 3 reviewers are backups.

The other part of the “we” is our monthly contributors. If you check out the Contributors page (http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/contributors) you’ll see our three current contributors: Joy Bauer, NBC’s The Today Show nutritionist and author; Carol Fenster, author of several titles, gluten-free expert and internationally awarded; and Dr. Vikki Petersen, co-founder of HealthNOW Medical Center in Sunnyvale, CA (known as a destination clinic for many who have gone undiagnosed) and co-author of “The Gluten Effect.” We’ve had other contributors in the past.

The newest addition to the GFRB staff is my daughter, Erica Spacher. She’s now my part-time admin and my upcoming Public Relations Representative. Erica has a Bachelors Degree in Communication and Masters Degree in Public Administration. Erica was brought on shortly after I was contacted by a talent producer from Demand Studios (eHow.com). I have been invited to be gluten-free recipe talent for them. It’s so exciting! We have 10 videos lined up, for some of which I need to develop recipes. Needless to say, I needed some help between the blogging, recipe development, consulting and web design.

Tell us a bit about your path to becoming gluten-free.

I will never forget the beginning of my gluten free journey. In 2005, due to an undiagnosed condition, I sought the help of HealthNOW Medical Center. Prior to my diagnosis they introduced me to their version of the allergy elimination diet. You first eliminate many common food allergens which may cause allergic reactions and then avoid the foods that give you any reaction whatsoever. Among other foods, I reacted to gluten. It caused me to become very bloated. This is when I first began the gluten-free diet and gluten-free baking. My favorite dessert back then was a gluten-free carrot muffin.

HealthNOW eventually diagnosed me with a thyroid condition, which has cleared up completely. Once the thyroid condition cleared up I blamed everything on my thyroid and went back to eating some gluten, mostly when eating out. Big mistake. Huge!

In 2009, I had an injury, and became extremely bloated, thinking it was most likely due to nerve damage/pain. Again, I went to see multiple doctors for a diagnosis, and have had several different guesses. I knew that gluten had caused me bloating before. So I gave the gluten-free diet another chance. I heard it was great for chronic pain as well. Surprisingly, one of the doctors agreed! During the first few months of the diet, I would cheat about once a month. I thought, “This diet just isn’t helping me.” I stuck to it anyway, and decided to stop cheating. Within two months my nerve pain was markedly improved, and the bloating was at a minimum. However, I did discover that large amounts of corn would make me very bloated, as well, and now I eat it rarely. I’ll have to stop cheating on that as well, as I know better! Anything that causes a reaction (stressor) causes inflammation, which is the precursor to disease.

Upon searching for new gluten-free recipes, I discovered several recipes online which contained gluten ingredients. That’s when I knew I needed to help and empower others, especially those with celiac disease or a high gluten-intolerance. This eventually brought about my gluten free blog, Gluten Free Recipe Box.

So that people with specific needs know you’re a go-to site, what foods will we find or not find there?

The more I blog, the more dietary restrictions I run into from my readers, and I want to help them all. In addition to gluten-free recipes, I had many individuals ask me for dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free, egg-free and more. Therefore, I added several categories for those with dietary restrictions. I do my best to add an occasional yeast-free recipe, etc.

You have a tomato allergy so it seems no recipes contain tomato. How do you get around not using tomato sauce/paste, etc. when cooking? Are there any other allergens/intolerances (other than gluten) that you design recipes around?

My own dietary restrictions are difficult. I have several food allergies, but the main ones are tomatoes and citrus. You’ll find that I have very few gluten-free recipes which contain tomatoes. When you do find one, it will be something I have made for my husband. I have learned a few tricks to substituting tomatoes in recipes, but the main one is the use of peppers, whether green, red or yellow. I also add in a little sugar or stevia to replace the sweetness of the tomatoes. Caramelized onion is great, too. I have several gluten-free chili recipes and not one of them contains tomatoes. The tomato-free recipe I am most proud of is my barbecue sauce. It tastes and looks like the real thing: http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-barbecue-sauce-without-tomatoes.

Recipes which usually call for lemon juice are usually included as an option. I will either leave it out of my own creation or substitute it with vinegar and stevia or sugar, when it is necessary. Lemon juice is sometimes added not only for flavor, but for its acidic value.

I try to avoid soy as much as possible, not only because much of it is GMO (genetically modified organisms), but because it is known to effect estrogen levels. I have even developed a soy-free soy sauce substitute: http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-soy-free-soy-sauce. I also try to maintain a high percentage of a corn-free diet. Bob’s Red Mill makes a GMO-free cornstarch and I use it when using cornstarch in baking, which is seldom. You’ll find a few recipes on my site, though, which do contain corn: polenta pizza crust, corn muffins, corn bread, etc. I have to use corn in recipe development. It’s just part of the job. My husband is always glad to consume them!

My most recent discovery of food allergies is coconut.

I make every attempt possible to request recipes that contain tomatoes, citrus, and coconut when I review cookbooks. I usually ask for 2 recipes from each publisher in hopes to satisfy the needs of others. However, sometimes I just cannot resist a delectable recipe that will benefit us all, including myself.

You spend a lot of time testing recipes. Describe how you experiment with a recipe.

At first, I was watching cooking shows and would drool over some recipe I found challenging and would just start adding ingredients together to see what would occur. Or I would have a craving for something and reach for my old 1980 copy of Joy of Cooking and see how basic gluten-free flours and starches would turn out as a substitute for all-purpose flour. As time went on, I began to learn what worked and did not. I have learned that in most cases a 55-60% starch ratio works with gluten-free flour(s). However, it depends upon what texture you are trying to achieve. Tapioca flour, also known as tapioca starch, tends to be lighter and rises more than potato starch. However, it is so light, that potato starch balances it out.

Do you change one ingredient at a time if it doesn’t come out quite right or do you make many changes when you try it a second time?

I used to try and only make one change at a time, however, now that I have more experience, I often make more than one change. An example of this would be in bread baking. If a bread caved in on its side upon cooling, that tells me there is either too much liquid and/or too much of a leavener. I may decrease a little of both, depending upon its severity.

Do you ever have to give up on a recipe?

I have never given up on a recipe, though I may set it aside and work on something else until a bright idea hits me. When developing recipes for clients I have no choice but to forge on!

I’ve enjoyed your ingredient posts “Guar Gum vs Xanthan” and “High Protein Gluten-Free Flour.” You’ve experimented with so many flours that I’m going to ask you this – Is there a substitute for sorghum flour in a recipe? (other than oat?) One of my first attempts at gluten-free baking used sorghum flour and though the cake was delicious it didn’t agree with my insides. I’ve noticed others who have the same problem. (Thank you.)

I haven’t used buckwheat flour much, but I believe it would make a wonderful substitute for sorghum flour. Sorghum contains about 4 grams of protein and buckwheat contains 5.

When should we use superfine rice flours and when regular? Or should we always use the superfine?

I have had much success in baking gluten-free cakes and muffins using superfine rice flours. Because it is more condensed than regular rice flours, when using it to substitute rice flours it may require additional liquid. I have developed a gluten-free cake flour blend (http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-cake-flour-blend) that works perfectly and already includes the baking powder, baking soda and gums. All you need to do is add the required amount of salt called for in your recipe. I have successfully used this blend, cup for cup, in regular gluten recipes, with rarely a change in any ingredients. I experimented on a white bread recipe using superfine rice flour, and though it was delicious straight out of the oven, it really is too heavy for a bread. I suggest using it in other recipes, though, especially those calling for very little flour. It avoids the grittiness that regular rice flour produces.

On your website, you ask us to send recipes we’re struggling to convert to gluten-free. Are there any specific challenges you’re looking for?

I’m not looking for any particular challenges. I am always working on improving my existing recipes and adding new ones. I just like helping people and that’s why the offer is there. Recently a reader gave me a huge challenge. She was looking for a bread recipe and there were very few ingredients she could tolerate: arrowroot, rice flour and guar gum. Luckily she was able to tolerate flax seed, which gave it a little more flavor. She was so happy to have something that didn’t weigh like a brick. I sent her the recipe along with suggestions on how to improve upon it.

I try to help my readers as much as possible. I am happy to help anyone who has questions, needs help with a specific recipe, and/or has specific allergy needs. You may contact me via http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/contact.

Happy cooking and good health to you!

Carla Spacher

Blog: http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/

Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/glutenfreecarla

Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/gfrecipebox

 

Gluten-Free Avocado Chicken Salad

If you like avocado, this is a must try recipe. The creaminess (and deliciousness) of avocado transforms chicken salad into something better. (This said by a woman who loves chicken salad.)

I like the fact that Carla gave me choices in the recipe. I’m dairy-free so I used more avocado instead of yogurt as she suggested. My avocado was on the small side so I decided to use all of it. I thought a bit of mayo would be good (another of her suggestions) so I also added one tablespoon of it. Since I’m fine with citrus (unlike Carla who’s allergic), I used lemon juice instead of vinegar.