Saturday, January 23, 2010

Cherry Oat Scones - Allergy Free


I found a video of Cybele Pascal making Cherry Oat Scones and they looked easy enough to make. Wow where they good. They were easy so don't be scared of trying them. I shared them with others and they have raved about them too. You can watch the video here on Amazon.com .

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Montina Gluten Free Flour Blend



I have been seeing this flour and did a little research. It is an ancient grain that the Indians used. It is high in protein and very good for you. So I found it on Amazon.com and decided to try it.

You can find out more at the Amazing Grains website.

I tried the bread recipe on the side of the bag. It is not for the beginning bread baker and it does require a stand mixer. There are several ingredients to the bread too like powdered milk, apple cider vinegar, 3 eggs - that may not be good for allergy bakers. You must mix the contents, let it rise for 1 - 1 1/2 hours and then you put it back in the mixer and blend for 3 minutes and then you let it rise for another hour and then bake for 1 hour. So all together it is 3 1/2 to 4 hour process of mixing, rising, rising and baking.

But was it good? YES!! A lovely dense bread full of flavor. My family finished almost 1/2 of the bread in one evening.

Here are some pictures of my bread. I will be trying the flour in other recipes from the Amazing Grains website. To me it is worth the effort to have some more nutrients in my bread.

(Hint: If you click on the images below you can see the bread up close.)









Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Going Gluten Free for 2010 - Top picks

Going gluten free is always a daunting task. With the cost of the items it is always hard to try something and then not like it. Because of this, I have been meaning to post my favorite things for cooking / baking gluten free. I have included cooking utensils, cookbooks and food items.

I just recently switched to the commercial grade baking pans and they have made a HUGE difference in how my items bake. The pans clean up better and the baked goods are more evenly baked. I bought a KitchenAid mixer when I first started really baking gluten free and have never regretted it. It is a MUST HAVE for busy mom's trying to cook gluten free. You can throw all the ingredients in the bowl and set it to mix while doing something else. I use my mixer probably 10 times a week. I am now drooling over the professional model as I increase my baking skills. I also got a grain mill that fits into it and fear that soon I will need a more powerful motor but at the time I didn't have the money to buy a larger machine.

I buy a lot of my mixes on Amazon.com - I use the subscribe and save function to get free shipping and a deeper discount. You can choose for them to auto ship at 1, 3, 6 month intervals.

Baking Supplies

Small & Medium OXO Cookie Scoop
SILPAT 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat
Chicago Metallic Commercial 18-Inch-by-13-Inch Jelly Roll Pan
Chicago Metallic Professional Mini Loaf Pan, Set of 4
Chicago Metallic Commercial Muffin Pan - 12 and 24 cup
Pyrex Glass 2-Cup Measuring Cup
Pyrex Glass 8-Cup Measuring Cup, Clear with Red Lid
Pyrex Prepware 1-Quart Measuring Cup
Norpro English Muffin Rings (4)
KitchenAid Artisan 5 Qt Stand Mixer
OvenStuff Non-Stick 12 Inch Pizza Pan Two Piece Set
Wilton Silicone Bite Sized Brownie Pan


Grains & Flours
Bob's Red Mill -
Teff, Sorghum, Oats, Garbanzo Bean (I buy from local Healthfood store)
Country Life Natural Foods - Brown Rice, Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch, Almond Meal/flour
Asian Grocery Stores - White Rice, Sweet Rice, Potato Starch, Tapioca Starch
Bob's Red Mill - Organic Coconut Flour (subscribe & save)
Rumford Baking Powder
Xanthan Gum - Now Brand, Ebay

Mixes
Bob's Red Mill -
Pizza Crust Mix (subscribe & save)
Trader Joes - Brownie, Pancake / Waffle Mix
Bob's Red Mill -
Pancake Mix (subscribe & save)
Bob's Red Mill -
Brownie Mix (subscribe & save)
Pamela's Ultimate Baking and Pancake Mix, 64-Ounce Bags (Pack of 3) (subscribe & save)
Pamela's Products Amazing Wheat Free & Gluten-free Bread Mix 4 Pound Bags (Pack of 3) (subscribe & save) - **Best Bread Mix!!!
Annies Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese
Mrs Leeper's Dinners (like Hamburger & Tuna Helpers)
Pamela's Cake Mixes
Namaste Mixes (I have tried almost all and they are great!)

Other Stuff (crackers, cookies, pasta)
Glutino Crackers (subscribe & save)
Glutino Pretzels -
Lucky Vitamin, VitaCost
Tinkyada Pasta
or check out http://www.vitacost.com/ and http://www.iherb.com/
Trader Joes Pasta (Spaghetti, Spirals, Penne)
Sam Mills Corn Pasta
Mrs Leeper's Pasta

Cookbooks
Cookies for Everyone by Enjoy Life
Elana's Pantry Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook
125 Best Gluten Free Recipes
The Best Gluten Free Family Cookbook
Cooking Free
Cooking with Coconut Flour: A Delicious Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Alternative to Wheat

Storage
Don't Fah-get 6.0 Qt Bread Container

I think that covers it. I'll add more if I think of it. But these are the things that will help make your gluten free baking experience easier.

To your health - gluten free in 2010.

Stephanie