GF Bread and Breadcrumbs

Hello and Welcome!

As a youth I discovered a passion for baking. One of my favorite activities during the summer was baking homemade bread. There was something about kneading the dough, letting it rise, punching it and then the smell wafting through the house as it baked…yummy. It made my heart grow warm knowing I had created something to share with my family. So when it came to gf baking the transition was interesting to say the least. I remember a chocolate chip cookie recipe that while it was baking smelled like burning plastic. The dough tasted funny to me too. However after their time in the oven and cooling they tasted just like the gluten version. (don’t’ worry I have better recipes then that to share, lol) Gf baking is a different world then “traditional” baking. For those of you who already gf bake know the difference in smells, consistency, and timing. Baking gf is not difficult; it’s actually in some ways easier. A couple of tips; always separate your eggs and fluff the whites and fold into the batter for a lighter end result, and lining the pan with parchment paper then greasing the paper creates an easy transfer from pan to plate. The recipe below is simple and averages $1.75 a loaf (using the low cost options shown below).

Part One: Recipe    

Everyday Loaf  Corn-based
(YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT'S GLUTEN-FREE! BY ROBEN RYBERG)

      ·        1/4 cup of oil (we use grape seed oil, optional)

·        2 Tablespoons sugar (will work with Splenda)

·        4 egg whites (beaten for 2 to 5 minutes or until light & frothy)

·        3/4 cup plain yogurt (we use plain Greek yogurt, optional)

·        1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

·        1/2 teaspoon salt

·        1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

·        1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

i.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a medium-size loaf pan. (parchment paper is your friend, optional)

ii.      Cream the oil and sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Add the beaten egg whites and fold in until very frothy. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

iii.     Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for approximately 60 minutes, until golden brown. the bread should test cleanly with a toothpick.

Serves 12

Part Two: Tip

Gluten Free Bread Crumbs
(created by Anne Abbott)                                                             

·        1 Box of GF Corn Flakes

·        Any left-over gf bread, ex: bread heals

Add a box of corn flakes and left over bread into a food processor and blend till breadcrumb size. Put into desired container and store in freezer. When you’re using breadcrumbs in different recipes add spices/herbs to your liking to compliment the dish.  Our family uses these breadcrumbs for chicken fingers, fish sticks, and eggplant parmesan to name a few. Enjoy;)

Part Three: Educational

Cornstarch is the starch of the corn (maize) grain obtained from the endosperm of the corn kernel. (Wikipedia)

Cornstarch has basically become our substitute for flour because it is easy to find, cost is low and has a wide range of uses. We often use it as a thickener for soups, gravies, and sauces. It can even be used to coat protein before cooking. Please note that it acts a little different then flour. When making gf gravy for Thanksgiving I create a slurry by adding 1 part cornstarch 2 part cold water and stirring with a fork till smooth. Then combine to the broth till desired consistency. If it is added directly into the cooking food it will form lumps that are difficult to mash out for a smooth mixture (as discovered at my first gf Thanksgiving, lol). A good website which goes into further details about conversions of flour to cornstarch is missvickie.com/howto/cornstarch.htm aka All About Cornstarch.

Part Four: New Item

Wildtree all-natural gourmet culinary blends, infused Grape seed oils, dressings and sauces.

I am always looking for quick and easy ways to create tasteful and healthy meals for my family. After attending a Wildtree party last year I discovered several gluten free products from this company to add me in my quest. Not all of their products are gluten free, but they have many gf options and all their items are natural. They have a gf cake mix which is one of the best we have ever used.  Many of their culinary blends are gf too. I personally love the Garlic & Herb blend which I often use in combination with the gf breadcrumbs when creating such dishes as eggplant parmesan. It has been helpful over the past year to have their mixes in our pantry as a backup.

Part Five: Grocery List

·        Oil: Member's Mark Pure Olive Oil 3L $10.98 at Sam's Club  or Natural Grape seed Oil 64fl.ozs suggested price $50.00 at Wildtree

·        Sugar: Domino 10lb $5.98 or Splenda 1.2lbs $9.98 both at Sam's Club

·        Eggs: One dozen around $2.50 at Aldi's

·        Plain yogurt: Fage 35.3oz around $3.00 at Aldi's

·        Cornstarch: Argo 2.19lbs $2.48 at Sam's Club

·        Baking Soda: Arm & Hammer 13.5lbs $6.68 at Sam's Club

·        Salt: Morton Sea Salt 26oz $2.15 at Meijer

·        Xantham Gum: Bob's Red Mill 1/2lbs $11.00 average at local grocery stores

·        Apple Cider Vinegar: 2 one gallon jugs $3.58 at Sam's Club

Please note that prices may vary with locations different then Central Ohio.

Thank you for visiting! Look for our next blog coming soon featuring kid friendly chicken fingers, tips on a quick and easy breakfast smoothie, and learn about flaxseed.

Introduction Blog

Hello and Welcome!

Come on in and have a seat. While visiting this blog you will find five items; a recipe, a tip, educational information, a new item and a grocery list which correlates with the recipes. Many gluten free blogs have started since more individuals find thier selfs with this new challenge. This blog is ment to be your one stop shop. Links to other gluten free blogs, websites, and locations to best find what you need are included.

Having a family, friends, jobs, holidays, and other commentments means we are always busy. So what if we were not able to pick up fast food to fill in a meal on the way to our childerens' soccer game? Or pick up a birthday cake for our husband's special day? What about the holiday cookies everyone enjoys or the stuffing at Thanksgiving? How about pizza and beer on a friday night? These are just a few questions that arise when gluten is no longer part of your family.

Many of us have found answers to some of our questions out of survival. We will not let this food allergy take us hostage, lol. Some of the solutions I have found are; Cook in advance. Pick a day, use your crockpot, oven and stove. Prepare two to three meals at once then put them in your fridge & or freezer. Also prep fresh veggies and fruit for the week. I find it takes me one to three hours to set us up for the week. Add up the time we spend during the week in lines waiting for "fast food" or a table at a restaurant and you will discover time to prep for your week. These meals and snacks are ready to grab when needed and will save you time and money.

Next is the celebrations or special times during the year. For birthdays I often have baked the cakes or cupcakes needed. There are both gf cake mixes at most grocery and gf recipes. The best of both that I have found will be shared over time (pssst...gluten free pantry is a wonderful and consistant product). However we all have those times were life itself is busy before adding in the extras. For those times I use a local bakery. Fortunately with the increased demand for gluten free there are many new perks popping up. One perk, a local gluten & nut free bakery in our neighborhood. Research what is around you, you maybe suprised. For the question of pizza night. Again there are ways to make your own (best low cost effect) and local places offering gluten free choices. We prefer to make them. Homemade pizza makes for a fun family night activty or choose to make in advance and freeze them.

Over the years I have developed a basic gf pantry. These iteams are often needed in many gf recipes and are little cost when bought in bulk. Please note that some items like the xantham gum can have a bit of a high cost. The good news is many recipes call for only a tbs of this product. In the end it is still more cost effective to make what you need then to buy it.

Basic GF Pantry, Grocery List:

Argo, Cornstarch 2.19lbs $2.48 at Sam's Club

Bob's Red Mill, Xantham Gum 1/2lb around $11.00 at local grocery stores

Millville, Corn Flakes 1lb2oz around $2.00 or less at Aldi's

Fage, Plain Greek Yogart 35.3oz around $3.00 at Aldi's (Sam's Club larger 
amount around $4.00)

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda 13.5lbs $6.68 at Sam's Club

Vinegar 2/1 gal jugs $3.58 at Sam's Club

Apple Sauce 2/64oz $5.88 at Sam's Club

Please note that prices may very with locations different then Central Ohio.

Thank you for visiting! See you soon. Our next blog will include a recipe for EveryDay Loaf, tips on gf breadcrumbs, learning about how to use cornstarch, and a new item making things easier.