I was just reading some posts on a website called Earthclinic where participants were asking about using a gluten free diet, how to find gluten free bread, and which breads are safe. These are important questions. I began writing a long reply on their website and then decided to post it here for blog readers who need Gluten Free help.
Gluten is in wheat, (spelt, triticale, semolina, couscous, durum, graham, white, and regular “all-purpose” and “self-rising” flours are made out of wheat). Rye, and barley contain wheat. Oats are often contaminated with it as well. Therefore, if your bread does not have wheat, oats, rye, or barley in it, and if it has not been contaminated with those grains or parts of those grains, your bread will be gluten-free. Other ingredients are sometimes derived from those grains, such as “natural flavorings”, MSG, modified food starch, etc.You will need to research to see lists of those hidden ingredients. There are many sources out there that will name them.
On the other hand, Gluten is NOT present in buckwheat, rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa, arrowroot, tapioca, corn, potato, xanthan gum, guar gum, eggs, vegetables, beans, fruit, and yeast. Uncontaminated bread made out of these ingredients *is* gluten-free.
If you are in the US and the label says “gluten-free” you should be safe. If you are making your own, there are many good cookbooks and websites out there.
When my family first made the switch to GF around 2000, I found some recipes I liked by Bette Hagman, but my favorites were cookbooks by Carol Fenster for the way the food tasted like recipes my family and friends were used to. (i.e. the chocolate chip cookies and coffee cake recipes there taste like “regular” ones and went over well with guests and family alike.) In the last few years I have appreciated Shauna James Ahern’s writing since it helped my children not feel deprived. Part of living simply is learning contentment. Part of learning contentment is helping my children understand that we really do have enough, and what we have is good.
You will have to find out what works for you. Some cookbooks rely heavily on one ingredient or another, such as lots of eggs, or cornstarch and potato starch, as main ingredients. LOOK for those things. You want things that both look good and TASTE good in order to keep compliant with your diet, but you also need nutrition, so a diet that is primarily composted of corn and potato starch, for instance, is going to be lacking in other things (including flavor).
Some brands of store bought gluten free breads taste better than others. Some make better toast than bread. They all keep better in the freezer than in the fridge, and none really should be stored at room temperature.
There are many recipes out there for GF flour mixes. pick one with ingredients you think will work for you and try it. They will often work as a straight, cup for cup replacement for regular all-purpose flour in cookies, quick breads, pancakes, buiscuits, etc. You will be glad for the freedom it gives you.
You may find a grain mill is a good investment. Grinding bulk rice is less costly than buying preground rice flour. Read reviews. Some grain mills are quieter than others, some are faster than others. Make sure no one uses your GF mill for grinding gluten flours!
For making GF sandwich bread, use a dedicated recipe for bread, (some recommend hand mixing the batter for best results), and consider making smaller loaves, since they often work better that way.
Some US libraries have GF cookbooks on their shelves or can get them through inter-library loan. It’s a good way to try them out and see how you like the kinds of foods that one provides. Just make sure you don’t spill flour on the pages!
I wish you well. GF bread is doable. And gf cookies and such things can be very good.
Today is Christmas Eve. I’m off to make a wonderful coffee cake for tomorrow morning. My friend Julie Goldberg gave me the original King Arthur Flour recipe for Thanksgiving and it made a wonderful conversion to gluten free. You can find the GF version in my next post. Blessed Christmas to you and yours.
Be well.
Maximum Grace 