Gluten Free

What is gluten? a food protein that gives breads, and baked goods their texture and elasticity. It also can cause problems for people. Whether it be an allergy, an intolerance or a life threatening disease, Celiac Disease or Celiac Spruce.
If you know someone that needs to be gluten free or if you yourself has been recently diagnosed, life in the kitchen or the restaurant becomes very different and perhaps seemingly impossible.
A few things to remember.....
hidden gluten- in places you would never think. ex. imitation crab meat, nacho cheese, soy sauce, rice krispies
cross contamination- all counters, utensils must be cleaned and no toaster, or baking sheet can be used for both gluten and non gluten foods.
Read all labels- know what and where gluten is.

 Non safe foods;
Barley
Barley malt
Bulgur
Couscous
Durum
Einkorn
Emmer
Farina
Farro
Farina
Graham flourKamut
Kashi
Malt
Matzo
some Modified food starch
Orzo
Rye
Seiten
Semolina
Spelt
Triticale
Wheat
 so this means unless you know it is gluten free, pretty much all bread, pasta, crackers, pretzels, cereal, cookies, cakes, pie crust, ice cream cones etc. is off limits.

Now before you get discouraged....Here is what you can eat and how to make some basic flour mixtures that are substitutable for regular gluten flours.

Safe Foods and grains;
 Amaranth
Arrowroot
Buckwheat
Bean flour
Corn
Fava bean flour
Flax
Garbanzo bean flour
Lentil flour
Millet
Montina
Nut flours
Potato flour
Quinoa
Rice flours, including brown
Sago
Seeds. sesame
Sorguhm
Soy
Tapioca
Teff
Wild rice

 You can buy flours and the above grains at grocery stores in the natural foods section. HINT; if you have an Asian food market, many of these are available at a much lower price. Especially the "raw" ingredients used in some of the below recipes.
My favorite generic flour recipe comes from Jules Dowler and her book "The First Year Celiac Disease and Living Gluten Free"

Jules Nearly Normal Flour
Mix
1 part fine white rice flour
1 part potato starch (not potato flour)
1 part corn starch
1/2 part fine corn flour
1/2 part tapioca starch
1 tsp xanthan gum per cup of flour mix
 Mix together in a large container and store, use cup for cup as substitution for regular flour.

Jan's flour mix
This is from a local lady in the area who has Celiac but doesn't let it stop her from baking!
2 c brown rice flour
2 c white rice flour
1 1/3 c tapioca starch or flour
1/2 c rice bran
1 1/2 c sweet rice flour
2/3 c corn starch
2 tsp. xanthun gum
go ahead and double or triple. store in airtight container

From  Living Without Pantry
All Purpose flour
1/2 c rice flour
1/4 c tapioca starch/ flour
1/4 c cornstarch or potato starch

High Fiber Flour
1 c brown rice flour
1/2 c teff flour
1/2 c millet or Montina flour
2/3 c tapioca starch/ flour
1/3 c corn starch or potato starch

High Protein Flour
1 1/4 c bean flour, your choice
1 c arrowroot starch or cornstarch or potato starch
1 c tapioca starch or flour
1 c rice flour, white or brown

Self Rising flour
1 1/4 c white sorghum flour
1 1/4 c white rice flour
1/2 c tapioca starch
2 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt


for above flour recipes with out the addition of xanthan gum use this guideline
add 1/2 tsp xanthan or guar gum per cup of flour blend to make cakes, cookies, bars, muffins and quick breads
add 1 tsp per cup of flour blend for yeast bread, pizza dough or other yeast doughs