Stuffed Celery

Cut full celery stalks in half crossways. Spread cream cheese in the middle. Dot the cream cheese with raisins, dried cherries, or for extra yumminess, dark chocolate covered raisins.

Greek Yogurt with Berries

Greek yogurt makes a great snack because it’s high in protein, which means you’ll keep the hunger pangs away longer. Look for fat-free Greek yogurt to cut the calories. Stir in fresh berries of your choice (raspberries and blueberries are especially good) and drizzle with a little honey.

Cheesey Wraps

Start with your favorite gluten free lunchmeat. Hormel makes a Natural Choice brand that is not only gluten free, but free from preservatives, artificial ingredients, MSG or nitrates. Cut a rectangular log of your favorite type of cheese (cheddar is a good choice) and wrap the meat around the cheese so it looks like a roll. You can secure with a toothpick if desired or just eat.

Chips and Salsa

You may overlook this obvious gluten free snack. Tostitos Natural Yellow Corn Tortilla chips are really yummy.

Happy snacking!

Here’s a recipe for gluten-free white bread for the bread machine:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/gluten-free-white-bread-for-bread-machines/

Gluten-Free Mommy has a recipe for a yummy looking Millet Oatmeal bread:
http://glutenfreemommy.com/baking-gluten-free-bread-millet-oatmeal-bread/

And here’s a yummy looking Gluten-Free Honey Blueberry Bread:
http://www.cookingbread.com/classes/class_gf_honey_blueberry_bread.html

Happy baking!

Until they need to go gluten free, most people never give a thought to the role gluten plays in their baked goods. It is gluten that makes baked goods bind. The proteins in gluten arrange themselves to trap gas bubbles. Their alignment also provides elasticity in the dough. It is gluten this makes the airy cell structure we associate with beautiful bakery bread and cakes. Up until about 5 years ago flour alternatives were primarily rice, corn, pea, potato and tapioca flour. Even when properly ground, baked goods made with these flours were gritty and or rubbery in texture, and the taste was often ‘off’.

In the last 5 years the demand for gluten-free products has grown immensely. Our store shelves now contain a variety of grains and flours from these grains, such as millet, kasha, amaranth, coconut flour, quinoa flour, bean flours, nut flours, gluten-free oats, and teff. These new flours now offer better flavors and textures in baking. Also, products such as xanthan gum, guar gum and other binders are now available, again improving the taste and texture of your recipes.

Here are 5 tips for improving the texture of your recipes as you move to gluten free recipes:

1. Replace milk or water in recipes with buttermilk. Buttermilk will give a finer and lighter overall texture. Carbonated water also substitutes well for regular water in recipes such as pancakes – again giving a lighter texture.

2. Unflavored gelatin can be used as a binding agent in baking – and it will help prevent crumbling. Remember to soften the gelatin in the liquid of the recipe before adding.

3. A combination of gluten free flours usually produces a better result than single flours.

4. To prevent crumbling you can use xanthan gum or guar gum in baking. Remember to add the gum to the dry ingredients. Note: some people have better results with the xathum gum as the guar gum can produce stomach ache in some.

5. Let your dough sit at least 30 minutes at room temperature to soften for a better texture in the final result.

In general there are a few basic differences in gluten-free baked goods that you will need to account for in converting old recipes. Gluten-free bread dough will be stickier and softer. If you try to make it appear like your old recipe it will likely be too heavy, dry and crumbly. Also, the baking times will differ. Gluten free recipes tend to be better when baked for a longer time in a lower temperature. You may need to tent with foil to prevent overbrowning while allowing the entire bread or cake to cook through.

Your best asset when going gluten free is one or two cookbooks where you can learn the tips and tricks that will make your foods turn out well every time. Once you are comfortable with the substitutions, and changes in characteristics of cooking times, etc., then you can start converting old family favorite recipes into new gluten free family favorite recipes.

As a natural health professional (PhD in nutrition), I’ve guided individuals and families through this process. I’ve watched as they grow healthier and healed many conditions when their doctors offered them little or no hope. There are steps you can take to reduce irritants and allergens in your diet. There are steps you can take to allow the body to heal – which it was made to do. These steps need not be dull, boring or tasteless! I have put together a number of webpages on the resources that are helpful in this process, and have more in the works. Please visit Gluten Free Recipes! and the links contained therein. Visit often since this material is being updated frequently.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D_C_Rona
http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Texture-Tips-for-Gluten-Free-Baking&id=6678845

So, you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a digestive disorder called Celiac disease, and your diet has to be changed to something completely new.

You may be wondering, what exactly Celiac Disease is. The short answer, is the body’s inability to process the protein Gluten, which is found in various wheat or grain products. On the surface, this may seem like it will cut out just about all of your guilty pleasures, or favorite foods. Rest assured, that is not the case, many items now have non-gluten alternatives to sacrifice very little, if any of the flavor, and still offer all the nutrition as Gluten containing products.

Do not worry, you do not have to cut out all of your favorite foods and live off of a strict list of unappetizing foods, or drinks. The lists of ingredients you can still eat or use as ingredients in the preparation of other meals, while slightly modified, is still as wide as ever, only now, it may be more important than ever to check the ingredients in some of your food choices, knowing what to avoid can make preparing foods, much easier and still allow you to be as creative as ever in the kitchen.

To start with, it is important to know what types of foods or products to avoid in general, however, some of the items listed do have non-gluten alternatives. When building your Gluten Free grocery list, products to avoid include:

Note: The lists below are only a small sampling of what can be on each list, for a complete list of products, consult your doctor, pharmacist, or consult a nutritionist.

• Bread and Bread Roll
• Rye Bread, Pumpernickel
• Yorkshire Pudding
• Pretzels
• Cakes
• Muffins
• Pastry or Pie Crust
• Biscuits or Cookies
• Crisp Breads
• Bulgur Wheat
• Durham
• Couscous
• Semolina
• Scones
• Anything in Breadcrumbs
• All Bran
• Sponge Puddings
• Breadcrumbed Ham
• Barley water drinks
• Malted Drinks
• Muesli

There are also products that contain wheat or flour, but are available in a non-gluten variety, be sure to check the label and ingredient list. Products with non-gluten alternatives can include:

• Stuffings
• Pancakes
• Pasta – Macaroni, Spaghetti, Etc…
• Crumble toppings
• Pizza
• Some Breakfast Cereals

It is also vitally important to know that other available products often do include wheat, or wheat products that contain gluten as either an ingredient in the creation of, or used as a filler. These can include:

• Sausages
• Luncheon Meat (filler)
• Blue Cheeses (can be made with bread)
• Gravy Powders and Stock cubes, such as OXO
• Matzo Flour/Meal
• Shredded Suet in packs (flour can be used to keep the strands seperate)
• Seitan (does not contain Gluten, it is Gluten)
• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protien
• Baked Beans (gluten can be in the sauce)
• Farina
• Meat and Fish Pastes
• Pates and Imitation Crab Meat
• Self Basting Turkeys
• Sauces – thickened with Flour
• Cummunion wafers
• Soups (Roux based: made with flour)
• Mustard – Dry mustard powder has Gluten
• Instant Coffee (filler)
• Brown Rice Syrup
• Cheap Brands of chocolate
• Some Potato chips (read ingredients carefully)
• Soy sauce (Tamari is ok)
• Drinking Chocolate
• Licorice
• Chutneys and Pickles
• Salad Dressing
• Curry Powder and other spices
• White Pepper
• Malt Vinigar
• Supplements
• Some Toothpaste
• Some Lipsticks
• Some medicine or pharmaceutical products.

With such an extensive list of items or products to avoid, it is understandable to wonder what is safe to eat, or prepare foods with. Luckily, the list of safe items is just as long, examples include the following Gluten free food products;

Vegetables such as:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Beans
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Celery
• Corn
• Cucumber
• Garlic
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Onions
• Peas
• Peppers
• Potatoes
• Radish
• Spinach
• Sweet Potatoes
• Turnips
• Etc…
• Fruits
• Apples
• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Cranberries
• Dates
• Figs
• Grapes
• Kiwis
• Lemons
• Limes
• Oranges
• Passion Fruits
• Plums
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Tangerines
• Watermelons

Meat and Poultry products are often okay;

• Beef
• Buffalo
• Chicken
• Duck
• Lamb
• Pork
• Turkey
• Veal
• Venison
• Dairy Products
• Butter (check to verify no gluten containing products were used)
• Cheese (expect blue cheese)
• Eggs
• Milk
• Yogurt (unflavored, plain)
• Even some other grains are safe:
• Almond Flour
• Bean Flour
• Brown Rice
• Buckwheat
• Corn Flour
• Corn Starch
• Dal
• Flaxseed
• Millet
• Pea Flour
• Potato Flour
• Rice
• Soy Flour
• In addition, other safe items are:
• Eggs
• Fish and Shelfish
• Honey
• Jams
• Rice cakes and rice crackers
• Tofu (made from Soybeans)
• Yeast
• Vegetable Oils

Some drinks you can have are:

• Champagne
• Fresh Ground Coffee
• Fruit Juice
• Milk
• Soda’s
• Vodka
• Tea
• Wine and wine coolers

Finally, some prepared foods can be bought already made and are Gluten Free, some brands or products to watch for include:

• Baked Goods from Glutino, KinniKinnick and Ener-G Foods
• Baking mixes from Bob’s Red Mill, Pamela’s Products, Cherrybrook Kitchen
• Cereals from Brands such as Enjoy Life.
• Pasta’s made from corn, such as Glutano and DeBoles
• Pasta made from Potatoes like Patado
• Even Pasta Made from rice, like Tinkyada and Notta Pasta

Hopefully, these lists of safe and unsafe products and ingredients can help you to better plan your new shopping list, yet still enjoy some of your family’s favorite foods.

For even more information on Celiac Disease Diet or Gluten Free Recipes, make sure to visit Gluten Free Recipes, or http://www.glutenfreerecipesblog.com/ for even more useful information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Kauri

http://EzineArticles.com/?List-of-Gluten-Free-Foods—What-to-Look-for,-and-What-to-Avoid&id=5674269

Millet, teff and sorghum are quickly becoming known as the best way to add whole grains and nutrition to a gluten free diet. It was once common for foods manufactured for a gluten free diet to be made of white rice and sugar. Luckily, the winds of change are blowing, bringing with them a host of new options for people with celiac disease.

Read the full post by Marissa Carter, published Feb 10, 2010: nutrition.suite101.com/article.cfm/more-gluten-free-whole-grains.

To provide consistency among food products labeled gluten-free, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in the process of developing rules that would apply to all gluten-free products in the market. Creating standard rules for all food companies to follow will assist consumers looking for gluten-free foods. To learn more about the new FDA proposed rule and for updates on its status, visit: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/lab-cat.html#1gluten.

Read the full article: www.kraftrecipes.com/HEALTHY-LIVING-IDEAS/ARTICLES/FOOD-ALLERGIES/glutenfreefoods.aspx.

Read more at Suite101: Sharing a Gluten-Free Kitchen With a Non-Celiac: Avoiding Gluten While Using the Same Kitchen, published on December 20, 2009 by Amy Schumaker: food-allergies.suite101.com/article.cfm/sharing_a_glutenfree_kitchen_with_a_nonceliac#ixzz0aSdxGlRf.

Thanks to the fine folks at The Gluten Free Raleigh Blog (glutenfreeraleigh.blogspot.com) for compiling and maintaining this useful list.

To cook appetizing gluten-free meals, it’s a good idea to be aware of what function the flour is performing in your recipe before you attempt to replace it. Wheat flour can perform multiple functions: thickening, binding, adding flavour, changing texture, and absorbing moisture. No alternative to wheat flour can do all these things in the same way as wheat flour. The most difficult behaviour to replicate is gluten’s binding ability.

For this reason it is commonly advised that you mix several flours or starches when substituting for wheat. Different mixtures are suggested: no one mixture is ideal in all cases, and experimentation and customization are advised.

Many, if not all, gluten-free products do not have preservatives, so it is important that they be kept frozen or used soon after purchase. Do not store cooked gluten-free breads, cakes or confections for days at a time, or they will rapidly degrade and mold. Foods containing a significant proportion of potato starch, a common ingredient in gluten-free breads, are particularly susceptible to spoilage.

You must also be aware of the presence of gluten on the surfaces and utensils you use. Flour gets in the air and can’t be cleaned. So avoid cooking one thing that is non-gluten free and gluten free in the same area when using flour. Also make sure you thoroughly clean all surfaces and utensils you use for both. Remember, you can never be too careful when it comes to your health.

Base meals around whole foods that are naturally gluten-free, such as meat, chicken, or fish, eggs, potatoes or rice, and plenty of fresh vegetables, salad and fruit.

When cooking gluten free, it is simplest to look for dishes that require the least customization. A pasta dish may only require the substitution of a rice pasta, for instance. Soups may only require a substitution for thickening (rice flour, cornstarch, or potatoes also thicken soup). Gravies and sauces can be made using arrowroot starch or sweet rice flour instead of wheat flour. Recipes calling for bread crumbs may be translated into gluten-free by using leftover gluten-free breads and crackers, and even baked items, processed into crumbs. Cooked rice or potatoes may also be substituted in many recipes calling for bread crumbs.

Sandwiches can be made with corn tortillas (grilled tuna melts, Mexican-style quesadillas, turkey and cheese, refried beans) — though the ingredients label of commercial tortillas should be checked, as some commercial firms include wheat flour in apparently “corn” tortillas — and also with salad leaf wraps (Boston and Romaine lettuce wrapped around filling such as egg salad, tuna, turkey, ham and Swiss, etc.), and moistened rice paper wraps.

Cuisines from cultures that rely less on wheat can simplify menu planning. Many Indian, Asian, Mexican, South American, Middle-Eastern and Pacific Fusion recipes use no gluten containing ingredients.

Cakes, cookies and brownies can be made with a mix of alternative flours; including nut meal. Nut meal/flours can lower the carbohydrate content in a recipe, and up the protein that is often lacking in alternative starches and gluten-free flours. Other higher protein gluten-free flours include quinoa, buckwheat, soy, and amaranth.

Pies require a gluten-free crust, and possibly a new thickening agent for the filling. Use packaged gluten-free cookies to create a crumb crust.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikibook  “Cookbook: Gluten-Free“.

Cornstarch is ideal for thickening, but does not have a pleasant flavour. Too much corn starch in a liquid sauce will give a jelly-like consistency. In baking, corn starch often gives a more pleasant texture, but can give a very hard, dense consistency.

Rice flour

Rice flour is close to wheat flour in behaviour, taste, absorption, and thickening. However, it lacks any binding ability whatsoever, and works best when combined with other flours and starches in baked goods; delicate baked goods may fail if attempted with rice flour alone.

Sweet rice and white rice flour is finer than brown rice flour, although mills are now producing fine brown rice flours for the gluten-free market. Choose the finest grind possible for gluten-free baking; coarser grinds are slightly gritty.

Brown rice flour is a whole grain flour containing higher protein than the white rice flours, and imparts a pleasant heft to baked goods. Sweet white rice flour from a Chinese or Asian grocery is as fine and powdery as cornstarch, and behaves similarly in baked goods. Sweet rice flour can be used as a thickener in gravies. Brown rice flour also makes a good roux for cheese sauces, gumbos, or brown sauces.

Potato starch

Potato starch is a light starch that will rise with egg as the leavening agent. Allows lighter baked goods. Use is limited by the short shelf life of products made using this starch.

Potato flour

Potato flour is a pleasant thickener for gravies and can also be used in baked goods. Some bread recipes also use mashed potato flakes!

Xanthan Gum

A strong binding agent that is used to replace the “stretchy” quality inherent in gluten, xanthan gum is often added to gluten-free flour blends to promote an improved texture. Use sparingly in bread, cake and cookie recipes. Xanthan gum is the fermentation product of the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris.

Other binders

Xanthan gum is the most popular binding agent, but others can be used too. These include soya lethicin, guar gum, carageenan, carob (locust bean) gum and even gelatin. These agents are often used in combination with each other.

Tapioca starch

Tapioca starch is a thickening agent often used in Chinese foods and gum candies. This starch is derived from cassava (aka manioc) roots; it is the same tapioca as in tapioca pearls, or tapioca pudding. Best used in combination with other gluten-free flours.

Chickpea Flour

Flour made from chickpeas, a popular alternative to gluten flours. This flour is commonly used in Indian cooking and can often be found in Indian or Asian grocery stores, sometimes labelled “besan”. It has an unpleasant taste when raw but has a good approximation of wheat flour’s texture when cooked. Unfortunately, some may find that it promotes flatulence.

Sorghum Flour

Sorghum flour (also known as sweet sorghum or jowar) makes an excellent wheat flour substitute in quick-leavened baked goods such as muffins or banana bread. It is ground from the small, millet-like grains of the sorghum plant (used to make sorghum syrup). Sweet white sorghum flour is a pale pinkish-brown in color and has a pleasant, faintly sweet and grassy taste. It is best combined with a gluten-free starch such as cornstarch or tapioca and creates a fine crumb, good texture.

Skim Milk Powder

Gluten-free bread recipes often contain skim milk powder. It adds protein and also has beneficial effects on the end product. The casein in milk makes it a good emulsifier, and it makes for a finer crumb and better consistency. People who are allergic to dairy can try substituting soy milk powder, but the results will not be as good.

Soya flour

Soya flour is also often added to gluten-free bread recipes to add protein.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikibook”Cookbook:Gluten-Free“.