Gluten Free Cooking and Baking

Gluten free cooking and baking is a big transition to overcome if you've taken on the task of gaining more knowledge with regard to preparing food in this way. Suddenly, you're in transition and on unfamiliar ground. You may begin feeling somewhat overwhelmed and vulnerable to this enormous new world of an entirely different diet than any diet you've ever been on before. Let me just say right here -- you're not alone in this. Thousands and thousands of people worldwide have the same gluten intolerance that you do, and are working their way through finding nutritious foods that are satisfying as well.

As a Natural Food Store employee and a fellow gluten intolerance sufferer, I have access to lots of literature regarding this topic in my workplace, as well as access to the expertise of a great nutritionist named Judy Mayer DTR who will answer any questions about cooking and baking gluten free. The following paragraphs will assist anyone that is a beginner at eating and cooking gluten free for the prevention of any gluten reactions, especially those that are less obvious.

Gluten Free Flours

Gluten free flours are derived from many plant sources that include almonds, amaranth, arrowroot, buckwheat, chickpea, coconut, cornmeal, millet, potato, quinoa, rice, sorghum, soy, tapioca, and lastly teff.

These flours will work best in gluten free cooking and can be usually be found at health food stores and many times at ethnic stores of various types. For example, Indian grocers carry a lot of chick pea flour as well as other types of flours that they use as cooking staples for their culture. You'll probably find it interesting to shop through some of these places while you familiarize yourself with the different types of food available to you on a gluten free diet. I promise -- you won't starve!!

Food Prep Guidelines

Be sure that sifters for flour are not shared with those flours that have gluten in them.

Containers with condiments in them that are used by other members of the household may also be sources of hidden contamination of gluten. Keep gluten free products in their own containers.

When putting together a gluten free sandwich, be sure to use a separate spreading knife for things like mayonnaise, jams, mustard, and other condiments. Knives used by other members of the household and dipped in condiments a second time will have crumbs on them that contain gluten.

Oils used for deep frying cannot be used on both gluten containing products and gluten free products as well.

Pasta tends to leave a residual film on the cooking utensils involved in preparing it. To avoid confusion, it's a good idea to mark separate gluten free containers like colanders and pasta utensils with permanent marker for easy reference as to which utensils are for gluten cooking, and which are for gluten free cooking.

Source: Outpost Natural Food Gluten Free Information Guide