Dear TEAM: I would be grateful to hear from you about any gluten-free recipes for baked goods that do not contain wheat, barley or spelt.
Due to allergies, we require recipes that are dairy-free from cows and goat milk. Soy and rice milk are fine.
We are looking for recipes for higher fibre grain bread, scone-type morning biscuits and/or baking powder biscuits, pancakes, coffee cake, white or chocolate layer cake and muffins. – K.B., Willowbrook, Sask.
Dear K.B.: As part of the research for this request, I spoke with people who work with this kind of diet. You may find that you can successfully adapt some of your existing recipes.
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Gluten-free all purpose baking flour that is packaged and milled by Bob’s Red Mill is available at our local Co-op store.
The flour contains garbanzo bean flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, white sorghum flour and fava bean flour.
It recommends that you add xanthan gum to the recipe, which is available at our local health food store and some bulk food stores. It may need to be special ordered.
If you have internet access, information is available at www.celiac.ca, www.celiac,com and provincial sites such as www.vcn.bc.ca/celiac.ca. Contacts in Saskatoon and Regina are provided on www.celiac.ca.
Celiac disease is a conditionin which gluten damages the absorptive surface of the intestine. People with this condition must eat gluten-free meals.
Hidden sources of gluten:
H.V.P. – hydrolyzed vegetable protein
H.P.P. – hydrolyzed plant protein
Malt flavouring or malt.
Modified wheat starch or other unidentified food starch.
The above ingredients may be in food such as bullion cubes, sliced or processed meat, Worcestershire sauce, baking powder, salad dressings, soup or gravy bases, seasonings and soy sauce.
Thank you to the Vancouver chapter for preparing this information, which was distributed to restaurants in their area and subsequently published in 1999 in the Celiac News, and is available at www.celiac.ca.
The following bread and muffins are recipes regularly baked for our friend who helps with seeding and harvest.
The nuts may be ground to the consistency of whole wheat flour. In these recipes, the term nut flour will be used interchangeably with ground nuts.
Cheese bread
1/4 cup softened butter 60 mL
21/2 cups ground 675 mL
blanched almonds (or other
allowable nut)
1 cup bland cheese 250 g
(brick,Colby or mild cheddar,
cut into small pieces)
3 eggs beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda 5 mL
1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 mL
Heat oven to 350 F. (180 C) Mix butter, nut flour and cheese. Add eggs, baking soda and salt. Pour into a well buttered loaf pan, approximately four by eight inches (10×20 cm) and bake until golden brown.
This bread can be sliced and used for French toast. Just dip in a beaten egg and fry in butter.
Syrup or hot honey with a little water added may be used to top French toast.
Muffins
21/2 cups ground nuts 675 mL
3 eggs (if eggs must be
avoided, use pureed fruit to
hold ingredients together)
1/2 cup honey (or less 125 mL
as desired)
1/4 cup melted butter 60 mL
or 1/4 cup home made yogurt,
or small amount of fruit
juice, or pure apple butter
(add last and adjust amount
depending on the consistency
of the batter)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 mL 1/8 teaspoon salt (optional) 1 mL
Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
All recipes calling for honey as a sweetener work better if honey is in liquid form. If honey has crystallized, melt over low heat.
After grinding the nuts in the blender, empty them into a bowl. Place eggs and honey into blender and mix thoroughly. Add the egg mixture to the nuts and blend by hand or with an electric beater. Add butter or yogurt as needed to bring to a muffin batter consistency. Blend in baking soda and salt.
If you are using a food processor, after grinding nuts, leave them in the processor bowl. Add other ingredients, with butter or yogurt last according to how much liquid you need to bring the batter to a muffin batter consistency.
Line cupcake tins with paper cupcake liners. Spoon batter into cupcake tins, filling about half full. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until muffins spring back when pressed. It is difficult to bake “light” high muffins without regular flour and the muffins may fall after they have been removed from the oven. (Makes 16 muffins).
Variations:
- Add 1/3 cup (75 ml) raisins or currants.
- Add juice of one orange and grated orange rind.
- Add grated orange rind and chopped dried fruit cut into small pieces.
- Add one to two teaspoons (five to 10 ml) of grated orange rind and 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) of almond flavor.
- For nut bread, add one more egg to batter and bake in a well-buttered baking dish.
- For banana nut bread, add one more egg and two mashed extra-ripe bananas.
- For coconut-nut muffins, substitute dried, unsweetened grated coconut for part of the nut flour.
- After all other ingredients are mixed thoroughly, stir in gently 1/2 to 3/4 cup (125-175 ml) fresh or frozen blueberries.
Source: Our friends acquired these recipes from others years ago. They believe they are adapted from recipes by Lois Lang.
Information shared
Check out www.scd.org (specific carbohydrate diet). The SCD Web Library was founded in 1996 and is an edited compilation of communications from people who are getting results from dietary adjustments. The site is updated primarily when new research, testimonials and SCD resources are submitted.
The specific carbohydrate diet is a strict grain-free, lactose-free and sucrose-free dietary regimen intended for those suffering from Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease and irritable bowel disease.
Other resources I found were:
- A national best selling book, Gluten-Free Diet – A Comprehensive Resource Guide, by dietitian Shelley Case. It has more than 2,600 gluten-free specialty foods listed by company and product name, a directory of more than 190 American, Canadian and international companies, recipes, baking tips and creative ideas for meals and snacks.
- Grain-free gourmet by Jodi Bagger and Jenny Lass, Whitecap Books, 2007, 351 Lynn Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, V7J 2C4.
This cookbook focuses on using almond flour, honey, yogurt, eggs and cheese and butter, for those who can tolerate them. Recipes include sauces, dips and dressings, appetizers and salads, soups, side and main dishes, baked goods and sweet treats.
- Cooking with Coconut Flour …a Delicious Low-Carb, Gluten-free Alternative to Wheat by Bruce Fife, N.D., Picadilly Books, Ltd., Box 25203, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80936 or check out www.piccadillybooks.com.
This cookbook describes cooking with coconut flour and has recipes for quick breads, muffins, cookies and crackers, cakes, pies and pastries and other savory dishes.
Barbara Sanderson is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
