Gluten Free Recipes

Today, there are plenty of gluten-free foods to choose from; breads, cereals, pancakes, pastas, pastries, cakes…you name it! 

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and most oats. Getting on a gluten-free diet isn’t easy, but it’s essential for anyone that has celiac disease. Even small amounts of gluten can cause a problematic immune reaction in the small intestine. This reaction results in damage to the inner surface of the small intestine and in nutrients being poorly absorbed. If the disease is ignored, it can cause serious heath problems.

People who do not have celiac disease may suffer from some gluten intolerance or sensitivity, causing symptoms such as bloating, rashes, diarrhea or nausea. The growing number of people suffering from gluten intolerance has caused an increased interest and demand for gluten-free products. The great range of gluten-free products available, not only make the conversion from a wheat-based diet to gluten-free easier, but also tasty and packed with nutrients.

Frequently used gluten-free grains and starches are: rice, corn (maize), potato, tapioca (cassava), soy, amaranth, arrowroot, buckwheat, millet, montina (Indian rice grass), lupine, sorghum, beans (such as lentils, black, soy, navy, pinto), quinoa and sago. To ensure that a product is gluten-free, it’s important to always read the labels of all packaged or prepared foods.
    
Natural gluten-free food groups that can be enjoyed without any concern include fruit, vegetables, legumes, almost all dairy products, butter, margarine, vegetable oil, and unprocessed meat, fish and chicken. However, processed meats such as burgers and sausages are made with cereals that contain gluten and should hence be avoided.  

Despite the dietary restrictions, living a gluten-free lifestyle can still be delicious, varied and nutritious. With a little experimentation of ingredient substitution, length of time, and baking temperature, many conventional recipes can simply be converted to fit a gluten-free diet.

For 1 cup of wheat flour, substitute one of these:
1 cup amaranth
1 cup corn flour
3/4 cup cornmeal

5/8 cup potato flour
7/8 cup rice flour
3/4 potato starch
1 cup quinoa flour
1 cup sorghum flour
7/8 sweet rice flour
3/4 cup soy flour
1 cup tapioca flour/starch  

For most people life without bread is unthinkable. Yet, a gluten-free diet does not necessarily mean to abstain from these delicious baking goodies. Mouthwatering breads and other baked goods can be made gluten-free, without much effort and time. Because gluten holds the ingredients in baked goods together, traps air pockets to help the batter rise, gives dough elasticity, and enables baked goods keep their shape, gluten-free baking requires the addition of a binding agent to act as a replacement for gluten.

Commonly used binding agents are xanthan gum or guar gum. Xanthan gum is rather expensive but it will last for years, as only small amounts are needed for each recipe. When converting a traditional wheat flour recipe and applying xanthan gum as the binding agent, substitute 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum for each cup of wheat flour. Guar gum is a great alternative for anyone that is not only sensitive to gluten but also to corn. Use half as much guar gum to replace xanthan gum.

While these agents help bind gluten-free flours together and give gluten-free baked goods the same elasticity as those that contain gluten, note that the texture and rise of the baked goods will nevertheless differ from the ones made with wheat flour. However, this should not be of any concern as both versions are incredibly tasty in their own rights.

Eating gluten-free doesn’t have to mean boring and tasteless. Almost all conventional recipes can be converted to fit a tasteful, well-balanced gluten-free diet.