Going Gluten-free
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, spelt, oats, rye, and other grains.
It's this protein that makes baked goods rise and adds lightness to their texture.
However, many people have gluten sensitivities which range from mild intolerances to severe allergies.
Often, when a person has a gluten intolerance, other food intolerances may be present. For this reason, all of our gluten-free recipes are also converted to dairy-free. (Dairy products, such as milk and butter, may be substituted for dairy-free in all of the following recipes.)
Typically at home, because of my own gluten and dairy intolerances, I cook this way for myself. It makes it that much easier to have the recipe already adapted to my needs.
Also, it's a good idea when cooking for someone with a food restriction, to find out ahead of time exactly what they can and can't eat. Then double check your recipe's ingredient list for any culprit foods.
You'll want to avoid cross- contamination of foods. It sounds simple, but always wash hands thoroughly between handling potentially allergenic foods and the "allergy dish" you are preparing. Even touching the fridge handle after handling nuts or cheese can leave a trail of "toxins" for a person with severe allergies to such foods.
Remember, you can't make pie crust with wheat flour and then use the same rolling pin for gluten-free pie crust - Make sure cooking implements such as food processor blades and vegetable graters are cleaned thoroughly between use, so as not to get cheese from your pizza into your dairy-free carrot cake. After a while this becomes second nature.
-JBW
For more helpful information on living gluten free visit our
gluten free directory!
Try our Gluten-Free
Best Baked Chicken,
found in Main Dishes.
Best Baked Chicken
Check for the "GF" (Gluten-Free)
for more Gluten-Free recipes throughout the site!