Gluten-Free Flour Blends

Did you know that you can follow any recipe and make it gluten-free, if you choose to go that route? When following your recipe of choice, sometimes a simple one-for-one substitute doesn’t always work. Sometimes, it does. Here’s some flour blends that you can make yourself to use as a simple flour replacement.

Blend #1 – Use in recipes that don’t require yeast

1 cup Brown Rice Flour

1 cup Tapioca Flour

1 cup Corn Starch

1 cup Almond Flour

1 cup Sorghum Flour

Blend #2 - Use in recipes that don’t require yeast

1 cup Brown Rice Flour

1 cup Coconut Flour

Blend #3 – Use in Recipes that require yeast

1 cup Brown Rice Flour

1 cup Tapioca Flour

1 cup Corn Starch

1 cup Sorghum Flour

1/2 cup Millet Flour or Chickpea Flour

Instructions

With each gluten-free flour blend, just mix the different flours together very well and store in an airtight container. I suggest keeping it in the refrigerator so that it will last longer.

Now you know how to make any recipe “gluten-free”!

Tags: Flour, gluten free, Recipe

Coconut Macaroons with Raw Honey

I love Coconut Macaroons, and I love them even more when they are healthy! These little cookies are easy to make and taste delicious – without any processed sugar! You can eat these macaroons without the guilt!

Ingredients:

7 Egg Whites

3/4 cup Raw Honey

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

4 1/2 cups Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (measure after you blend the coconut flakes together – see Step 1 for instruction.)

Instructions:

Step 1) Blend the large coconut flakes together to make them into small pieces. Don’t over blend them to become powder, you just want to blend them well enough so the coconut flakes won’t be too big in the cookies. Set aside.

Step 2) Beat egg whites until stiff peaks start to form.

Step 3) Slowly add in raw honey as you continue to beat the egg whites. Keep moving the bowl to make sure that the honey gets mixed in very well.

Step 4) Take the blended coconut flakes and fold gently into the egg whites mixture.

Step 5) Put batter in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes. This will allow for the batter to thicken up, making it easier

Step 6) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and grease cookie sheet with a little bit of coconut oil to prevent sticking.

Step 7) Spoon the batter in small spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet and back in the over for about 45 minutes, or until the macaroons are slightly browned. Let macaroons cool for about 5 minutes before you remove them from the cookie sheet.

Notes:

Make sure you remember to put the batter in the fridge, otherwise you will have difficult batter to work with and they will turn out to be flat macaroons. They will still taste good, but they just don’t look the same.

These are healthy macaroons, but they are still high in calories since coconut is naturally a high calorie food. My point? Eat in moderation, just like anything else.

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Tags: coconut macaroons, Dessert, gluten free, healthy recipe, Recipe, sugar free

What is Gluten Free?

Whether you have an intolerance to gluten or just choose not to eat it, you have come to the right place!

Gluten Free Labeling

Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, spelt, barley, rye, and kamut. In order for a product in the United States to be labeled as “Gluten Free”, it must have less than 20 ppm of gluten. This means that a “Gluten Free” product still might have some gluten in it.

Benefits of a Gluten Free Diet

Some have a choice to eat gluten products or not, while others have Celiac Disease and just simply can’t tolerate gluten.

If you experience symptoms such as headaches, aching joints, bloating, gas, fatigue, poor concentration, and emotional irritability, after you eat gluten, you may have a gluten intolerance.

If you suspect that you have a gluten intolerance, you might want to omit gluten from your diet for a week or two, and see if there is any relief to your symptoms. You can also get a blood test done to see if you have Celiac Disease.

Gluten Free Alternatives

There are plenty of healthy alternatives for gluten. If you haven’t already figured it out, just because something is labeled as “Gluten-Free”, it doesn’t mean that it is healthy for you. It just means that the product doesn’t have gluten in it. You will find plenty of gluten free products out there, from gluten free cookies to gluten free cakes. If you are switching to a gluten free diet (aka “life style”), then make sure you eat the healthy gluten free products.

Here is a list of gluten free products that are either eaten as a whole grain or as a flour.

• Amaranth, grain and flour

• Arrowroot, grain and flour

• Brown Rice, grain and flour

• Buckwheat, grain and flour

• Chestnut, flour

• Coconut, flour

• Corn, grain and flour

• Garbanzo, flour

• Maize, flour

• Millet, grain and flour

• Potato, flour

• Quinoa, grain and flour

• Sorghum, flour

• Tapioca, flour

• Teff, flour

Baking with Gluten Free Flours

When I follow a recipe, I just use my gluten free flour of choice as a replacement. If the recipe calls for 3 cups of all-purpose flour, I might use 2 cups of brown rice flour and 1 cup of coconut flour. In most cases, a simple swap of ingredients will work.

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Tags: gluten free

Gourmet Waffles

These waffles are extremely easy to make. Very healthy. Very delicious. You’d think that these waffles were made at a gourmet restaurant.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups Brown Rice Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

2 eggs (separate yolks and whites)

1 3/4 cups Rice Milk

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Coconut Oil

Non Fat Whipped Cream

Ground Nutmeg

Maple Syrup

Instructions:

Step 1) Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Step 2) In another bowl, beat egg yolks and then stir in milk, vanilla, and oil.

Step 3) Combine both mixtures.

Step 4) In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until peaks form.

Step 5) Stir in egg white mixture partially with the rest of the waffle batter.

Step 6) Cook waffles.

Step 7) Place cooked waffle on plate. Drizzle some maple syrup on the waffle, then add a small amount of whipped cream on top of the waffle. Dash on some ground nutmeg over waffle.

Notes:

Looking for a gourmet tasting waffle? Look no further! I believe that a combination of the vanilla extract, fluffy egg whites, maple syrup, and nutmeg are all key factors in making this waffle “gourmet”.

Let me know what you think of these delicious waffles once you have had a chance to make them!

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Tags: Breakfast Recipe, brown rice, gluten free, healthy recipe, Lactose Free, nutmeg, Organic, Recipe, rice flour, Vanilla, waffles

Veggie Slices by Galaxy Nutritional Foods

Healthy and Tasty Alternative

I was looking for a healthy alternative to Cheddar Cheese slices, and I came across the Cheddar flavored Veggie Slices by Galaxy Nutritional Foods. I have tried them cold in deli sandwiches and warm in grilled cheese sandwiches and even on top of eggs. Every time I use these Veggie slices, nobody can tell the difference between them and real cheddar cheese slices!

More good news…

•Only 40 calories per slice (compared to 60-80 calories per slice)

•No Cholesterol

•Lactose Free

•Gluten Free

•Comes in a variety of flavors: Cheddar, Pepper Jack, American, Swiss, Smoked Provolone, and Cheddar with Jalapeños.

Wow! These Veggie Slices are delicious and a lot healthier for you than regular cheese!

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Tags: American, Cheddar, Cheddar and Jalapeños, cheese, delicious, gluten free, Healthy, Healthy Alternative, Lactose Free, low calorie, no cholesterol, Pepper Jack, Smoked Provolone, Swiss, Tasty, Veggie Slices