FINDING AN EASY BREAD RECIPE

One of the first things you find yourself doing when you first go gluten free is finding bread for sandwiches. I'll tell you now if you are looking for that  soft texture like in a wonder bread be prepared to be disappointed. Most manufactured breads that are gluten free have a taste and texture resembling cardboard. With that said, the next thing you discover is that the price of bread is between $- $8 a loaf. Sure you can order it online but again you will be spending around $5 a loaf. Don't get me wrong there are some good breads out there I have seen their advertisements I just have not found them in my area.

There are countless number of bread mixes out there and most again are in the $4-$6 range. So why not make a batch of all-purpose flour mix from recipe in previous post. From that mix you can make cookies, breads and any other countless number of things.

That brings me around to today's topic of a bread recipe that has both a nice texture and a good rise. It took me awhile to find the right flour mix to use and how not to get a gritty taste when making it. Also the number of times it took me to not produce a brick, but that is another story. This recipe produces a nice near normal loaf of bread at a reasonable cost, of around $2.50 a loaf.

               EXCEPTIONAL GLUTEN FREE BREAD

1 Tablespoon yeast
2 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Cup warm milk  (or milk substitute)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour mix
2 tsp xantham gum 
1 tsp salt
2 eggs or egg replacer to equal
3 Tablespoons canola oil
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp unflavored gelatin

Combine yeast, sugar and warm milk and allow to proof while you measure other ingredients.

Grease 8x4 bread pan. Preheat oven to 375

Measure flour, xantham gum and salt into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

In medium bowl beat with fork eggs, oil, cider vinegar, and gelatin. Add to flour mixture. Do not mix. Just pour it over flour mixture. Add yeast mixture as well.

Blend it all with electric mixer for 4 minutes till you get a heavy cake batter consistency. If too thick add water 1 Tablespoon at a time.

Scoop into greased loaf pan and allow to rise until 1 inch from top of pan.

Bake 375 50-55 mins.  Cover with foil after 20 minutes to prevent over browning.

Hint: place a pan of water in oven during first 20 minutes. It creates steam allowing a better crust formation.
        Allowing liquids to be absorbed by the flour before you mix it helps to eliminate the gritty taste you            get  from using gluten free flours.

Brown Rice Flour Mix

    Welcome to the world of gluten free. Whether you are newly diagnosed as a celiac or have a gluten intolerance this is where you will want to come.

    Like you I had a lot of questions when I was first told to go on a gluten free diet. One question I had was does this mean I can no longer enjoy cakes and cookies? The answer was no, but they would need to be made differently.

   I started my search by buying a number of gluten free products as  a sample as top taste and texture. I found that there were alot of good products with good taste and texture and alot of products to stay clear of.

     Gluten free pastries and breads when purchased at a store are considerably more expensive.  If you're used to paying between $1.09 and $1.89 a loaf for white bread be prepared to pay between $5 and $8 a loaf for gluten free white loaf.

      I searched for options.  I came to conclusion that if I wanted a satisfying bread then I would need to either be willing to pay the price or make my own. Because gluten is in the flour normally used in bread that is using a wheat based flour my search was to duplicate the flour minus the gluten. There are a number of gluten free pre-mixed flour blends out there and even good bread mixes as well.

      While exploring the possibilities I found a number of helpful sites and books.   Elana's kitchen  and gluten-free goddess both gave me ideas but found a flour blend that would work for me in  a book called  Gluten-Free Baking Classics the recipe for the flour mix is as follows:

BROWN RICE FLOUR MIX

2 cups     Brown rice flour
2/3 cup   Potato starch (not potato flour)
1/3 cup   Tapioca flour

Makes 3 cups              You can easily make a 12 cup batch of this.

  Armed with this mix I was able to start making cakes and cookies and breads again.

What is Gluten?

WHAT IS GLUTEN?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. There are other grains that have trace amounts as well but for the gluten free diet these are the grains to be avoided. It is basically the protein that allows that elasticity in a bread.

WHY IS GLUTEN A BAD THING?
Gluten for some individuals causes the villi in the small intestines to be killed. The villi are what the body uses to extract vital nutrients and vitamins from the foods you eat. In essence if you have a gluten intolerance or are a  celiac you could eat from the time you wake up till the time you go to bed and be malnourished since your body is unable to process what you are eating.

Some individuals experience stomach cramps, bloating, the inability to burp, headaches and migraines when they eat gluten. Others experience vomiting and diarrhea, and weakness.  Still others experience weight gain, heavy flows (women). If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or all have your doctor run a simple blood test to see if you might be gluten intolerant or a celiac. Statistics show worldwide that 1 out of 100 people are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE TO GIVE UP THE THINGS I LOVE TO EAT?
No. It means you will be changing the recipes you use to make those things. You still can eat fruits, vegetables and meats. You just can't buy  them pre-breaded. It also means you will be reading food labels when you shop to avoid eating gluten.

When you go shopping you will now be reading labels on processed items to make sure that wheat, rye and barley are not in the item you are buying. You will also be looking for gluten free labels. Manufacturers here in USA have to label if wheat is in a product.

Today's supermarkets have a wide variety of gluten free products to choose from. Look around you will be surprised at what you'll find. If you're a pasta lover there are a variety of gluten free pastas from a variety of manufacturers. Amazon carries a number of them Tinkyada Brown Rice Spirals with Rice Bran, Gluten Free, 16-Ounce Packages (Pack of 12) that is just oneAncient Harvest Quinoa Linguine, Organic, Gluten-free, 8-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12). If your supermarket doesn't carry gluten free pastas you can purchase thru Amazon, or go to the glutenfreemall.com  ....If you are looking for a good premade baking mix to use  I suggest Pamela's Ultimate Baking and Pancake Mix, 4-Pound Bags (Pack of 3). you are able to use it cup for cup substitution in recipes for all-purpose flour.  So with that said your adventure into the gluten free world can begin.