CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »
*** Just a note to those following my blog, but not following a gluten free diet, with just a simple adjustment to the recipes they can be full of gluten. Substitutes: any gluten free flour/mix use wheat flour and omit the xanthan gum. ***

Friday, February 24, 2012

Gluten Free Substitutions

I haven't been able to prepare another recipe post for you today.  But my friend posted a great list of Gluten Free Substitutions on pinterest today that I thought I'd share.  I think it has a lot of great ideas that I've either used or need to try.  Here are several of them:

Corn tortillas for sandwich bread
Cold cuts and deli cheese just aren’t the same unless they’re sandwiched between something starchy. When gluten-free bread isn’t an option (or if trying to watch the carbs and calories), corn tortillas are a great stand-in.
Gluten-free oats for breadcrumbs
A quick whirl in a food processor or blender makes rolled oats the perfect substitute for traditional breadcrumbs. Add a sprinkle of herbs and some Parmesan cheese for Italian-flavored seasoning!
Crushed flax or fiber cereal for breadcrumbs
Crush up that gluten-free cereal and mix in some herbs for a lower-sodium substitution for traditional breadcrumbs. Plus, it’s an easy way to get an extra dose of fiber or omega 3s!
*Mashed potatoes for pizza crust
Believe it or not, leftover mashed potatoes make a great alternative to pizza crust. Mix one serving with about ¼ cup of any gluten-free flour. Smooth the mixture into a thin layer onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for a few minutes until crisp. Add favorite traditional pizza toppings, return to the oven until warmed through, and enjoy!
Lettuce leaves for tortilla wraps
It’s not a perfect swap, but forgoing the carbs for fresh lettuce is a fun (and easy) switch that can lighten up any wrap or taco dish. Plus, replacing the bread with an extra veggie will give the dish a nutritional boost with added vitamins and folate.
Cornmeal pancakes for regular pancakes
Sometimes it’s just a pancake kind of morning. Replacing the wheat flour with cornmeal or corn flour can be a perfect substitute.
Nuts for croutons
Every salad needs that extra crunch. To avoid gluten-filled croutons, try some lightly toasted slivered almonds, pecans, or walnuts. For a savory salad try a spice or herb roasted variety!
Black beans for flour
Substituting a can of back beans (drained and rinsed) for flour in brownies is a simple way to avoid gluten and also add an extra dose of protein! And don’t be fooled— they taste great.
Almond flour for wheat flour
This gluten-free switch lends baked goods a dose of protein, omega-3s, and a delicious nutty flavor. Start with something like a simple butter cookie to get a hang for the switch.  Try other nut flours like walnut or hazelnut for another fun switch!
* Coconut flour for flour
High in fiber and low in carbohydrates, coconut flour is a great partial substitute for wheat flour in baking recipes. Be careful, though— more than ¼ to ½ cup, and the flour’s bitterness can take over.
Zucchini or eggplant for lasagna noodles or pasta
Thin strips (cut with a knife) or ribbons (easily made with a vegetable peeler) are a great substitute for wheat-filled pastas. The wider ribbons work perfectly in lasagna, and strips are a great replacement for spaghetti!
Spaghetti squash for pasta
Roasted and pulled apart with a fork, spaghetti squash is a great low-carb and lower-calorie substitute for wheat based pasta.
19. Rice noodles for pasta
When veggie substitutes just won’t cut it, go for one of the many gluten-free rice-based noodles on the market. Chances are, they’ll be stocked in at the grocer’s international aisle.
Tamari for soy sauce
Many plain soy sauces contain wheat. Avoid getting accidently gluten-ated by going with tamari, a type of soy sauce that’s wheat-free.
Cornstarch and water for roux
Cut gluten— and fat! To thicken soups, stews, and stir-fries, replace the traditional fat-and-flour roux mixture with a 1:1 ratio of cornstarch and water (start with a tablespoon of each).
Potatoes for roux
Another great option for thickening soups and stews is to add a few chunks of starchy potato (like Idaho). As the potatoes cook and soften, they break apart and slowly thicken.

You can find the full article here!!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Gluten: What you don't know might kill you

Today instead of a recipe I thought I'd share a video by Dr. Hyman that I shared on my facebook almost a year ago.  I think its a great video with lots of good information.  Dr. Hyman has also been on the Dr. Oz show.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Our Favorite Gluten Free Pizza

Today I'm going to share our favorite gluten free pizza.  It's very simple and a staple in our home. 

 First we start with Charlotte's Bakery focaccia bread which I buy at Good Earth, pizza sauce, mozzerella cheese & any toppings you want.  We usually just do cheese.

 We toast the crust in our toaster oven until it browns on top.

 Add your sauce, cheese & toppings, then put back in the toaster oven to melt the cheese.

Pizza is done!! 

Monday, February 20, 2012

Bette Hagman's Featherlight Mix

I use several different flours, but Bette Hagman's Featherlight Mix is the one I use the most.  I mix up a 5 gallon bucket at a time.  I buy my flours & starches at Honeyville Grain in Salt Lake in 50 lb bags and store the extra in 5 gallon buckets as well. 

1 cup Rice Flour
1 cup Cornstarch
1 cup Tapioca Starch
1 Tbsp Potato Flour (not potato starch)

For a 5 gallon bucket I 5 times the above recipe in a big bowl then dump into the bucket.  I do that 4-5 times until the bucket is full.  I find it easier to mix when doing it in smaller amounts.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Hamburger Potato Casserole

Being I mentioned it in my previous post I thought I'd share one of my favorite comfort food recipes next.  I will try to post pictures later. 

Mashed Potatoes
1 lb.  Hamburger
1 med.  onion (chopped)
1 can  Green Beans (drained)
1 recipe of cream soup (You can get the recipe here)
1 cup  milk
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Brown hamburger and onion, drain.  Add to hamburger: green beans, cream soup & milk to warm.  In a baking dish put hamburger mixture on bottom.  Layer potatoes on top of hamburger mixture.  Top with cheese.  Heat in oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Gluten Free Cream Soup

When I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease I wasn't sure I was going to be able to have my favorite comfort food - Hamburger Potato Casserole again.  It called for a can of cream soup which has flour in it.  Soon after I was diagnosed I found a great recipe book - Life Tastes Good Again.  I found mine at Maceys or you can get it here.  It has a great cream soup recipe that is really easy.  We like it better than the canned soup and its actually cheaper to make than the buying the can of cream soup.
 

Recipe:
2 T Featherlight Mix (You can find recipe here)
1 1/2 t chicken boullion (check labels - I use Better Than Boullion paste - best price I found is at Costco)
1 cup milk
2 T butter/margarine
1/8 t salt
dash pepper

Dissolve the chicken base in the milk.

Melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in Featherlight mix, salt and pepper.  Continue stirring over heat until slightly browned and bubbling.

Add milk (with the added boullion).  Stir with a whisk (to eliminate lumps) until sauce is thickened and boiling.  Remove from heat.

Can be used to replace 1 can of condensed soup in recipes.

My Story

I have had stomach problems most of my life.  I can remember coming home from school sick a lot starting in 4th grade.  Shortly after I was married I was diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) after they ran a few tests and couldn't find anything wrong.  I never really believed that's what I had.  I wasn't sure what doctor to go to, so I just dealt with it for another 13 years.

In 2009 I was really sick for several weeks.  I was very fatigued, sleeping a lot.  I could barely function.  I had stomach cramps that went into my back so I decided to go into the doctor thinking I could have a kidney infection.  They ruled that out and ran several other tests.  The doctor said I'm also going to test you for Celiac Disease, that's the one you really don't want (or something to that effect).  I knew I didn't want "that" because I had a friend diagnosed with it probably 10 years earlier and I knew what she had gone through.  The nurse called me on December 7th, 2009 and said I had Celiac Disease and Anemia (caused from the Celiac Disease).   My numbers were off the charts high and combined with having Anemia, I opted not to have the biopsy.  I went on the strict gluten free diet in January 2010.  It took me several months to really feel a difference after living with undiagnosed Celiac Disease for many, many years. 

Osteoporosis is common in people that have Celiac Disease because they don't absorb calcium and vitamin D.  So in January 2011 I decided to get a DEXA Scan to get a base line and found out I actually already had Osteoporosis at the age of 34.

I have 2 daughters that also eat gluten free, one with Celiac and one that is Gluten Sensitive.   We have found it easier to just have a gluten free home.  I have another daughter and my husband that can eat gluten outside of the home. 

I did lots of research online for gluten free recipes.  I have collected a lot of good ones and adapted many of my own recipes to be gluten free.  I have had several people recently asking for recipes so I figured it was time to finally start my Gluten Free blog that I've been talking about doing for quite some time.   I hope to be able to share what I have learned, from great gluten free products to yummy recipes.