It is possible to enjoy fresh baked breads, cake, muffins and other doughy goodies when you suffer from gluten-intolerance, medically known as Celiac Disease. People who suffer from gluten-intolerance experience uncomfortable symptoms when they eat wheat and other foods containing gluten like barley, bran and couscous. Baking with non-glutenous foods becomes a necessity in these cases. Many other foods and grains contain gluten. However, experimenting with gluten-free recipes often provides a delicious and healthy expansion to anyone's diet.
Binding Agents
Because gluten is what helps flour stick together in baked goods, it's important to find alternative binding agents such as arrowroot powder, xanthan gum and guar gum. All of these and many others can help your gluten-free flour hold it together. The focus of this article is on three gluten free flours and their benefits and tips for using.
Rice Flour
Rice flour can be made from both white and brown rice. If possible, grind flours at home just before use. Rice is one of the more easily ground flours. Place it in the average blender or grain mill and grind it. A high powered home blender such as the Vitamix is highly recommended for anyone exploring flours and healthy cooking. As with most gluten-free alternative flours, rice contains high amounts of fiber and protein.
Paired with arrowroot powder or xanthan gum it provides a smooth flour that ends up crumbly and crunchy. Noodles for Thai and Asian food are often made from rice flour. Rice flour also makes nice thin and crispy crackers.
Chickpea (garbanzo) Flour
To pack in the fiber, try chickpea flour. This flour is made from ground up dry garbanzo beans. Dry garbanzo beans can be difficult to ground at home and require sifting for un-ground pieces of beans. Either be prepared with a flour sifter or find a source that sells it in bulk.
Mixed with whole wheat flour (for the gluten tolerant), rice flour (for the gluten intolerant) or on its own, it creates a course but airy bread. The chickpea flavor might be present but is usually overpowered by allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg. It works well with zucchini bread recipes. It's best to start by substituting in small amounts to reduce the unfortunate effects of excess fiber.
Amaranth
Amaranth is technically a seed but is used often in baking as a grain. When ground fresh at home it creates a pungent and earthy aroma. It's easier to find amaranth in a whole form rather than in flour so be prepared to grind it at home. Amaranth is best mixed with other flours, glutinous and not.
This seedy flour results in a spicy flavor that works with sweet baked goods like cakes and muffins. It's texture is similar to that of cornmeal products, light and crumbly. In addition to grinding it to flour, it can be used to encrust breads and muffins. The health benefits of amaranth are too numerous to list and could fill an article on their own
Resources
WebMD. "Hydrotherapy – Topic Overview" (accessed March 17, 2011).
National Institute of Health. "Celiac Disease-Sprue" (accessed November 27, 2011)
What Contains Gluten. "List of Foods Containing Gluten" (accessed November 27, 2011)
Live Strong. "What are the health benefits of rice flour" (accessed November 27, 2011)
