Thursday, November 19, 2009
Gluten Free Flours
I have been taking the time, lately, to really get to know the different gluten free flours. I have only had one roll recipe that got the boot (I don't know if I mentioned that I made a roll/muffin that the illustrator asked me if I put ground up bugs in it...it was that bad). So, I am feeling pretty good about the whole grain gluten free flours. Oh, yeah, that is the other thing. I am trying to focus on some healthier gluten free flours. Getting fiber in your diet from baked goods is the biggest complaint I hear from my grandmother and sister-in-law. Luckily, we like whole grains here, so there are some pretty great alternatives!
My favorite, so far, has been buckwheat. I think maybe I was just made to love this stuff. The flavor is very bold (like bran) and a little nutty. The texture has a nice chew on the inside while being firm on the outside. Baked goods made with buckwheat actually have a springiness to them like wheat bread does! Despite the name, it is not a wheat at all. Buckwheat flour is actually the ground up fruit of a plant. I knew there was a reason I liked this stuff! When you add moisture to this flour, it takes on a gummy texture which helps it bind together. It is extremely high in fiber and low in calories. These two things are music to my ears! If you get a chance to read about the health benefits of buckwheat flour, you should look here. The question is, why have we all not been eating more of this stuff?
I have played around with a couple of different variations on my muffin recipes and love how they turned out. I made these when we returned from the pumpkin patch since it got me in the mood to bake something nice and spicy. The natural cane sugar on the top, looks like Christmas to me. These muffins froze beautifully too!
My new favorite flour, as of last night, is brown rice flour. I used the white rice flour with great results when I made these, but I was looking for a nice wholesome fall pancake. So, I figured I would give it a try. Brown rice flour is made from unhulled rice kernels. It is higher in fiber and still has the healthy fats and oils in it. It is a little more on the grainy side. So, I mixed it with you guessed it...a little buckwheat! I am a little afraid of xanthan gum at this point. I have heard people rave about it and people hate it. For me, it is too expensive to waste the money to buy it and have it fail. So, I am going with what I know works. Besides, I want to keep my recipes simple. I don't want to mix so many things to get the results I am looking for. I am feeling better about this new baking adventure. I like what we have come up with so far...aside from the bug muffins, so I will just keep on this path.
These pancakes were a lot like the harvest grain and nut pancakes at the local, franchised pancake establishment. They are fluffy with a nice firm outside and chewy inside. I was so happy these turned out so well! Now, the illustrator and I can have pancakes together again!

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posted by Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen @ 1:02 PM  
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Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen
Home: Atlanta, GA, United States
About Me: Lactose Challenged
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