Tips For Gluten Free Baking
I’ve experimented with gluten free baking recently, and here are some things I’ve learned:
It’s much easier to bake gluten-free if you make things that rely less exclusively on flour for its structure. So for example, muffins are easy, bread is hard. This is because bread is basically just flour and water with a dash of yeast and salt, but muffins work because they also have egg, maybe milk, a lot of added fat, sugar (which imparts some structure too) and various other ingredients..
Egg is helpful for getting things to hold together. You can add egg to recipes that don’t normally contain it, or add additional eggs to recipes that do.
If you eat dairy, substituting plain yogurt for milk or water can create more structure. Buttermilk is also better than regular milk, and you can also use kefir. Fermented things are good, they’re often sticky in a way that makes the finished product hold together. If you don’t eat dairy you can use fermented (gluten-free) grain or soy products with similar effects.
Adding fruit or pureed vegetables (zucchini, pumpkin, or other squash, mashed overripe banana, or apple sauce) to recipes can also add structure, and make things moister, which is important because many gluten-free grains tend to make things dry.
Ground flax seed or flax meal, mixed with water and stirred for a bit, forms a gel-like consistency that helps things hold together. It can be used in place of or in addition to egg, look up a “flax egg” for specific tips. Flax meal has a lot of nutritional value: it’s high in Omega 3 fat and also has a lot of protein and fiber.
The easiest two gluten free grains I have found to bake with are oat and teff. Of all the gluten-free grains, oat behaves the most like wheat, probably because it is most closely related. Teff is the gluten-free grain that holds together most easily. Both can be used 100% for all-purpose flour in recipes for things that do not rely too heavily on flour, without making too many alterations. For example my default (wheat) muffin recipe works just fine with oat or teff, but comes out horribly with most gluten-free grains. A 50-50 blend of oat and teff also works nicely.
Many gluten-free flours are less nutritious than wheat flour, mainly becase they contain less protein. However there are numerous exceptions. Oat, teff, buckwheat, almond, various millet (including sorghum), and bean/lentil flours are all high-protein flours that are relatively widely available. Avoid heavy reliance on corn, rice, potato, cassava, and tapioca flours as they are all relatively low in protein; they can be good in small quantities to adjust the texture of something, but do not make them staples.
Buckwheat is a difficult flour to work with because it behaves differently from others (it isn’t even from a grass, and is not closely related to other grains) but it can be fantastic for certain purposes. It makes great pancakes and biscuits. Although it does not work well with traditional bread methods and generally does not substitute well for all-purpose flour, you can make a bread out of pure buckwheat by fermenting it in open air for a long time and then baking it; look up recipes. Buckwheat also is available in different coarsenesses. Coarse-ground buckwheat behaves a lot like cornmeal and can be substituted for it.
Open-air fermenting is your friend. A lot of traditional recipes using gluten-free grains rely on letting flour sit in the air for hours, even days, to get yeast from the air, and ferment, creating a structure that holds together better than just mixing the grain with water. Fermented things tend to get gooey which is what you want. The simplest example of this is injera which can be made with surprisingly many different gluten-free flours although it is traditionally made with teff.
Nut flours, especially almond, are surprisingly easy to bake with, but they are very high in fat. Either reduce the fat in the recipe accordingly, or accept that your resulting baked good is going to be extremely filling. I personally like high-fat baking.
Look to non-Western cultures for recipes on making breads out of gluten-free grains. The West has historically relied mostly on wheat. Ethiopian food uses teff: injera is traditionally 100% teff. Indian food has many flatbreads made from gluten free grains, like you can make roti out of sorghum flour (jawar roti) and you can make papadam out of bean or lentil flour. All of these are high-protein grains, especially the beans/lentils.
Don’t buy commercially-made gluten free baked goods and avoid most pre-made flour blends. Theses are usually made to emulate all-purpose wheat flour; they get the texture close-enough but they usually do it by adding xanthan gum which has no nutritional value. The resulting product is typically low in protein thus making it a bunch of empty calories. The point of baking is not to have a dessert here or there, the point is to create staple food that you can live on and have it be healthy. To this end you need to use high-protein whole grains.
If done correctly, gluten free baking can be amazingly rewarding. Some things come out better with alternate grains than they do with regular wheat flour. The protein quality in many grains, especially buckwheat, is much higher, i.e. it’s much more of a complete protein, than wheat.
Just stop trying to make things taste exactly like gluten-containing baked goods. Each grain is different, and the gluten-free grains are really different from the gluten-containing ones, especially different from wheat which is a gluten-heavy grain.
You need to get into a different mindset. Stop trying to emulate, use the strength of each grain and bake things that work with each grain’s strength.
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Here are some recipes for vegetarian dishes that I got for @arukou-arukou. They’re a mixture of breakfast and dinner (because I eat breakfast for dinner all the time/love breakfast on the go.) They’re under the cut because there’s like... a dozen of them. If you like them, eleven of them are from the book Run Fast. Eat Slow. which was created by 4-time Olympian Shalane Flanagan and chef Elyse Kopecky. If these recipes interest you, you can check out the book here.
Superhero Muffins
2 cups almond meal
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if sensitive)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup chopped walnuts/pecans (optional)
½ cup raisins, chopped dates, or chocolate chips (optional)
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 zucchini)
1 cup grated carrots (about 2 carrots)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup dark amber maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and walnuts, dates, or chocolate chips (if using).
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, zucchini, carrots, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. The batter will be thick.
4. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each to the brim. Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.
Teff Pumpkin Pancakes with Currants
1 ½ cups teff flour (make sure the bag says “flour”)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin puree*
1 ¾ cups unsweetened almond milk or other milk of choice
½ cup plain whole milk yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup currants or raisins
Safflower oil or other neutral, high-heat oil, for brushing the pan
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the teff flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, milk, yogurt, and honey. Pour over the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
3. Fold in the currants or raisins. For best results, allow the batter to rest overnight in the fridge (to allow the whole grains time to soften).
4. Heat a stovetop griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium to low heat. Use a brush or paper towel to lightly coat the pan with oil. (Too much oil will cause burning.)
5. Ladle a heaping tablespoon of batter into the hot pan. Pour additional pancakes, leaving enough space between them for easy flipping. Cook the pancakes on one side until the bottoms start to brown, 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Using a metal spatula, flip the pancakes over and cook on the other side until nicely brown and cooked through, 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Continue with the remaining batter, brushing the pan with more oil as needed.
6. Serve immediately with a pat of butter and a drizzle of syrup, or slather on some peanut butter. Cool leftovers completely before storing in the freezer.
*Make sure it is plain canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling
Make-Ahead Breakfast Burritos
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bag (6 oz) baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)
10 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 burrito-size whole grain tortillas (about 10 inches)*
1 ½ cups grated Gruyere or other favorite cheese
1 ½ cups spicy black beans
Or 1 can (15 oz) chili beans
1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet (eggs are the one dish we cook in a nonstick pan) over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted. Add the eggs, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring continuously, until scrambled. Remove from the heat.
2. Place each tortilla on a 12 x 12-inch sheet of aluminum foil and sprinkle with ¼ cup of cheese. Divide the egg-spinach mixture among the 6 tortillas, placing a strip down the center of the wrap. Top each with ¼ cup of beans.
3. Roll up each tortilla like a burrito by colding in the tops and bottoms, and wrap tightly in foil. Place together in a gallon-size freezer bag for up to 2 months.
4. To reheat, unwrap from the foil, place on a microwaveable plate, and microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, rotating after 1 minute, until warm in the center.
*I use spinach or tomato-basil tortillas and they taste good in that as well.
On-the-Run Frittata Muffins
9 eggs
½ cup crumbled feta or other favorite cheese
¼ cup plain whole milk yogurt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 sweet potato (12 oz), unpeeled, cut into ½-inch cubes*
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups loosely packed, chopped kale, stems removed**
1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with foil muffin cups (for easier cleanup) or grease the pan with butter.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cheese, yogurt, and pepper.
3. Heat the oil in a large skilled over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, sweet potato, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned(the potatoes won’t be cooked through), about 10 minutes. Add the veggies to the egg mixture.
4. In the same skillet, cook the kale, stirring constantly, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the kale to the egg mixture.
5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups, filling each one even to the brim. Bake in the center of the oven until the eggs have set and the tops are golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
6. Transfer the muffins to a plate for serving. Or cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
7. To reheat frozen frittata muffins, remove the foil muffin cup and place on a microwaveable dish. Heat on low for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, just until warm.
*You can use any variety of vegetables for this, these were just the ones listed in the recipe.
**In this recipe and any recipe I use spinach instead of kale and it turns out fine, but I despise kale lol
Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten free if sensitive)
1 cup almond flour or almond meal
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup orange-fleshed sweet potato (yam) puree*
½ cup grade B maple syrup
½ cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup raisins
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, pulse the oats 5 or 6 times, until roughly chopped. Place in a large mixing bowl and combine with the almond flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and raisins until well combined. Fold into the oat mixture and stir until blended. The dough should be very thick.
4. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to drop the batter onto the baking sheet. Space the cookies 1 inch apart and lightly press down on each one to flatten.
5. Bake in the center of the oven until the bottoms are a deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
*To make sweet potato puree, wrap 1 large (1 to 1 ½ pounds) orange-fleshed sweet potato (also called a yam) in foil. Bake at 400F until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Cool, remove the skin, and puree in a blender or food processor, or mash by hand with a fork until smooth. PUree can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in the fridge. To save time, canned sweet potato puree can be found at many grocery stores.
Giddy-Up Energy Bites
12 large Medjool dates, pitted
1 cup dried unsweetened cherries
1 cup raw chopped walnuts/pecans
¼ cup unsalted almond butter (if salted, skip the salt below)
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons ground coffee beans (grind fresh)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup shredded unsweetened dried coconut, toasted*
1. In a food processor, combine the dates, cherries, walnuts, almond butter, cocoa powder, coffee, and salt. Pulse a few times to chop the ingredients, and then process on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl and beneath the blade with a spatula. Process until the ingredients begin to clump together.
2. Empty the contents of the food processor into a medium bowl. Use your hands to shape the mixture into 24 walnut-size balls and roll each ball in the coconut. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
*To toast coconut, preheat the oven to 350F and spread the dried coconut out on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring halfway through (keep a close eye on it to prevent it from burning).
Arugula Cashew Pesto
1 cup toasted cashews or walnuts
2 cups tightly packed arugula (or basil, beet greens, or turnip greens)
1 ¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 or 2 cloves garlic
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white miso paste
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1. In a food processor or professional blender, combine the nuts, arugula (or basil, beet greens, or turnip greens), Parmesan, and garlic. Process until coarsely chopped. Add the oil, miso, lemon juice, and zest. Process until desired consistency is reached.
2. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. (The pesto can be thinned to make a sauce. Simply add more olive oil, broth, or water.)
(This tastes good over whole wheat pasta and veggie noodles.)
Fartlek Chili
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt (cut in half if your broth is not low-sodium)
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 pound ground beef (crumbled tempeh for vegetarian)
3 cloves garlic, roughly minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
2 cans (14.5 oz each) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz each) black, pinto, or kidney beans, drained and rinsed, or 3 cups cooked beans
Optional toppings: sour cream, grated cheese, sliced scallions, avocado
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the bell peppers, beef (or tempeh), garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and red pepper (if using). Continuously stir, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces, until the meat is browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the broth, tomatoes, and beans and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes or, preferably, 1 hour.
4. Taste and add more salt (and red pepper), if needed. If too thick, thin with a little broth.
5. Serve bowls steaming-hot topped with any combination of topping desired.
To make in a slow cooker: Follow steps 1 and 2, then add the cooked veggies and meat to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. Simmer on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.
Curry Lentil Soup
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 carrots, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt (leave out if broth is not low-sodium)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ to ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
1 cup green lentils, sorted and rinsed
2 tablespoons curry powder
3-inch-strip kombu, optional
3 cups loosely packed, roughly chopped kale, stems removed
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
charred or roasted cauliflower (optional)
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots and onion, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute, being careful not to let the garlic brown.
2. Add the broth, coconut milk, lentils curry powder, and seaweed (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft, 25 minutes.
3. Remove the seaweed and discard. Stir in the kale and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the lime just. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper flakes if need. If too thick, add ½ cup water or more until the desired consistency. Served topped with roasted cauliflower (if desired).
Pasta Primavera with Tempeh “Sausage”
1 package (8 oz) tempeh
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 large head broccoli (about 1 pound), cut into bite-size florets
2 cups sliced cremini or white button mushrooms
�� teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup dry white wine or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 jar (26 oz) marinara sauce
12 ounces dried pasta (gluten free if sensitive)*
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1. In a food processor, pulse the tempeh until roughly ground.
2. In a large saucepan, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, oregon, fennel, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant, 1 minute (be careful not to brown the garlic.) Add the tempeh, broccoli, mushrooms, and salt and cook, stirring continuously, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the wine or broth and simmer just until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the marinara sauce and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper flakes if needed.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.
5. Divide the pasta into 4 bowls and tap each with a heaping ladle of sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan, if desired.
*Also good over veggie noodles!
Spicy Black Beans
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 pound dried black beans (2 ¼ cups), soaked in cold water overnight, drained, and rinsed
1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo (canned), chopped
3-inch piece kombu or 1 sprig fresh epazote (or one tablespoon dried), optional
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon lime juice
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the beans, chile pepper, kombu or epazote (if using), cumin, bay leaf, and just enough water to cover (about 4 to 5 cups). Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 to 2 hours, testing for doneness after 1 hour (beans should be creamy and easily mashed between two fingers).
3. To thicken the cooking liquid, smash a few beans with a fork and simmer uncovered until desired consistency is reached.
4. Prior to serving, ad the lime juice, then taste and season with salt, if needed.
5. Serve warm, or allow to cool and store in gallon-size freezer bags in a flat layer, to make defrosting easier.
And then this black-bean burger patty my sister eats often, which can be found online here.
Black Bean Quinoa Burger (Vegan + Gluten Free)
2 tablespoons flax meal + 5 tablespoons water (this is the binder, you can substitute one egg instead)
Coconut or olive oil for cooking
½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 cup packed spinach, chopped
1 ½ cups cooked black beans, drained, or 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne
½ cup oat flour (ground-up rolled oats)
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease baking sheet. Combine flax meal and water in a small bowl; set aside in the fridge.
2. To cook quinoa, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Rinse quinoa in a small mesh strainer. Once oil is hot, add quinoa to the saucepan and stir. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly toasted. Add 1 cup water; turn the heat to high. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 13 to 15 minutes.
3. *Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add chopped onion; let it cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Add bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic; cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and stir immediately, letting it wilt slightly. Turn the heat off.
4. In a large bowl, add black beans; mash with a fork, leaving some texture. Add cooked quinoa, sauteed vegetables, salt, paprika, cumin, pepper, cayenne, and reserved flax “eggs” (or the real egg if substituting). Mi until combined, then add oat flour. Stir.
5. **Form 10-12 patties depending on desired size. Place on baking sheet; bake for 20 minutes, flip, then back for 25 to 30 more minutes, until browned and crispy.
6. Serve on a whole-wheat hamburger bun with guacamole, barbecue sauce, and other desired toppings, or on top of a salad.
*You don’t have to saute the vegetables, the author just thought it really brought out the flavors better. If not sauteing, simply mash them directly in the bowl with the black beans and other ingredients.
** To get evenly shaped burgers, line the lid of a jar (the author uses a peanut butter jar lid) with wax paper or foil. Stuff the lid with the burger mixture, then flip it over onto the baking sheet and remove the wax paper.
Storage: Store in an airtight container or bag for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or freeze for up to two months.
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