Gluten-Free Living: Cooking Tips (2024)

FAQs

Is there a trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

“Properly balancing the starches, proteins and hydrocolloids is essential.” Aaron Reed, senior food technologist, Cargill, echoed that bread is the hardest product to replicate when developing a gluten-free product.

It's important to know that peanuts, peanut butter, peanut flour and peanut oil are considered naturally gluten-free foods.

Brown rice flour is about as close to a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour as it gets since it provides structure and a “wheat-like” flavor.

We recommend covering your batters and doughs and letting them rest for at least half an hour.

Eliminating gluten is the only way to treat celiac disease, an allergic reaction to gluten that damages the lining of the small intestine. However, as part of a new diet fad, many people are going gluten-free to lose weight.

Gluten is easily removed from most pans and other dishes. To clean them, we recommend using a dish detergent with a clean brush or sponge, and rinsing with water.

Non-Stick Pans, Bake Sheets, Muffin Pans –

Stainless steel or solid aluminum pans and lids with no non-stick coating on them do not require replacement, and in fact, can be shared between gluten and gluten-free foods as long as they are sterilized in between uses.

If there is gluten on the surface of your counters or kitchen island, we need hot soapy water to break down the sticky gluten. Wipe, wipe, wipe those surfaces. Once that is completed and the surfaces have been cleaned, we use a secret weapon to ensure any gluten remaining breaks down. Our secret weapon – LYSOL Wipes!!!

Bananas (in their natural form) are 100% gluten-free. If you experience issues with eating bananas it may be because of a couple of proteins present in bananas – Marlow over at glutenhatesme.com has an excellent and detailed post on this issue so please head on over to her blog to read more.

Why is butter not gluten-free? ›

Is It Gluten-Free? The short answer is that butter is naturally gluten-free, but there are some situations where you need to be careful. Any butter that has added flavorings could potentially contain some gluten. Plain butter is a safe bet, but if you're trying a new brand, it's always a good idea to check the label.

This means sourdough bread, rye bread, and gluten-free bread are great options if your body reacts negatively to gluten. If you're searching for a gluten-free bread option, check for a gluten-free label on the packaging and scan the ingredient list for wheat, barley, rye, malt, and brewery's yeast.

Remember, baking times for gluten-free foods vary greatly, and it's important to keep a constant eye on your creation to monitor for the colors and textures that indicate doneness. These recipes often call for longer baking times at a lower temperature compared to traditional recipes.

If the original recipe calls for 260 grams of all-purpose flour, substitute with 260 grams of your blend. Beat the batter more. Because gluten-free flours provide less structure than all-purpose, the batter or dough you make with them may require more beating than that which you are accustomed.

If a recipe calls for self rising flour, you can easily make your own gluten free version. Simply whisk together my gfJules Gluten Free Flour plus a leavening agent (baking powder) and a touch of salt.

Baking with gluten-free flour will produce some slight differences in taste or texture. Millet flour tends to have a mild flavor while buckwheat flour lends itself to a more earthy taste. In addition, quinoa flour has a nutty flavor and bean flour can actually sometimes taste like beans.