gluten free recipes

[peggy]

As lessisbest recommended, I'll start a new thread for gluten free recipes. First biscuits.

1 cup tapioca flour
1 cup white rice flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tarter
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

preheat oven to 450
melt butter and let cool slightly
mix dry and set aside.
Mix buttermilk and egg. Add melted butter, stir until clumps form
Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and mix swiftly 30 seconds.
Form biscuits. We just scoop up with an icecream scoop and put in a greased pan touching each other. You can pat out and cut but this is more bother than it's worth I think. Bake 13-16 minutes. These are also corn free if anyone has that problem.


For those who miss a bran muffin, this is my whole grain version gluten free. All whole grain except tapioca
Whole Grain Muffins

1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup millet flour
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 egg +1 yolk
1 cup milk or buttermilk
3 tablespoons oil (I usually use olive oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Oven to 400 grease 12 cupcake or line with papers
mix dry, set aside
mix wet, add to dry, mix well. With gluten free, you mix until all is moistened. don't leave lumps! put in pans and bake 15 minutes or so. Do toothpick test. You can add chopped nuts or dried fruit. sometimes I add a scoop of pear sauce.
:)

[lessisbest]

Thank you sooooooooooo much for taking the time to start the thread and post the recipes. Unfortunately for me, you use starches and flours that are too high in carbohydrates to be on my "safe-to-use" list. I'll have to get some recipes together and post them.

[JaneV2.0]

Here's a pumpkin-caramel cheesecake recipe for special occasions. This cookbook author uses a blend of almond meal and some oat flour in her recipes: http://low-carb-news.blogspot.de/2011/11/pumpkin-cheesecake-with-caramel-topping.html

[JaneV2.0]

Also, if you have access to Facebook, these pages have recipes that sound mouth-watering:
DJ Foodie, Low Carb Hit Parade, Low Carbing Among Friends, 24/7 Low Carb Diner, Buttoni's Low Carb Recipes, Beautyandthefoodie.com...for a start.

[JaneV2.0]

Coconut-macadamia muffins. I'd substitute shredded zucchini for the banana here, and use an erythritol blend:
http://www.thepaleomom.com/2011/11/recipe-coconut-macadamia-banana-muffins.html

I like muffins occasionally--they're pretty forgiving, easily customized, and can be sweet or savory.

[lessisbest]

Yummmm, muffins…. We have muffins for breakfast every Saturday morning.

If you love cinnamon rolls, you’ll love these muffins.

CINNAMON BUN MUFFINS
I first used the recipe from “Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet” – by Erica Kerwien, but I’ve also used the recipe found at this link, which is very similar.
http://comfybelly.com/2013/12/cinnamon-bun-muffins-using-almond-coconut-flour/#.VRFMo2c5B1M

ALMOND FLOUR PUMPKIN MUFFINS
2 eggs
½ c. pumpkin puree
1/3 c. honey (I use homemade coconut palm nectar – see * below)
2 T. melted butter
2 T. melted coconut oil
1 t. vanilla
¾ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
2 t. pumpkin pie spice
2-1/2 c. almond flour
¾ c. currants (or raisins)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line muffin pan with paper or silicon liners (12-muffins). In a large mixing bowl, using an electric beater to thoughly combine all ingredients EXCEPT almond flour and currants. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
[*Coconut Palm Nectar – homemade version – Mix 1-1/2 c. coconut palm sugar with ½ c. water in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until dissolved. Store in a glass container with a lid in the refrigerator.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~

I’ve made nearly all the muffin recipes found in Elana Amsterdam’s book, “The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook”, many are available at her web site: http://elanaspantry.com/. She also has a great paleo cookbook, and I’ve made many of the recipes from it as well – “Paleo Cooking from Elana’s Pantry”.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I make muffins with coconut flour when I can get eggs cheap or free, and love the recipes because they are high in protein and low-carb.(source: “Cooking with Coconut Flour” by Bruce Fife, N.D.)

Honey Muffins
3 eggs
2 T. butter, melted
2 T. coconut milk or whole milk
3 T. honey (or alternative)
¼ t. salt
¼ t. vanilla
¼ t. sifted coconut flour
¼ t. baking powder
Blend together eggs, butter, coconut milk, honey, salt, and vanilla. Combine coconut flour with baking powder and thoroughly mix batter until there are no lumps. Pour batter into greased muffin cups. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Makes 6 muffins.

Alternatives:
-Add ½ c. chopped pecans and 1/8 t. almond extract.
-Lemon Poppy Seed: Make Honey Muffins as directed and omit vanilla and add 2 t. lemon extract. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top of muffins just before baking.
-Cherry Muffins: Make Honey Muffins as directed and add ½ c. dried cherries and 1/8 t. almond extract.
-Apricot Muffins: Make Honey Muffins as directed and add ½ c. dried apricots (snipped into ¼” cubes using kitchen scissors) and 1/8 t. almond extract.

[lessisbest]

GLUTEN-FREE COOKIE RECIPES

PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCH COOKIES (low-glycemic and gluten-free)

1 stick butter (1/2-cup or 8 T.)
¾ c. creamy peanut butter
1 t. baking soda
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 c. dry-roasted, unsalted, peanuts
½ c. sunflower seeds (raw or roasted)
½ c. almond flour (almost any g-f all-purpose flour mixture can be used)
½ c. palm sugar
½ c. mini chocolate chips
½ c. unsweetened coconut
½ c. cacao nibs (optional)
In a large glass bowl, microwave butter and peanut butter until the peanut butter is soft and butter is soft/melted (microwave on high for 1-minute and repeat until soft/melted). Mix together. Let cool if this mixture really hot (you don’t want the chocolate chips to melt when you add them). Add the remaining ingredients and mix with a hand-held electric mixer. Drop by tablespoonful (I use a #50 portion scoop) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press dough down slightly. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 12 minutes. Let set 5-minutes before removing from baking sheet and finish cooling on wire cooling racks.

SUPER-SIMPLE BANANA COOKIES
1 small ripe banana
1 c. quick oats
1/4 - 1/2 c. dried fruit or add-in of choice (chopped dates, chopped apricots, dried blueberries, dried cherries or cranberries-you may want to snip them smaller with kitchen scissors, OR mini chocolate chips, OR chopped pecans or other nuts)
2 T. melted coconut oil
½ t. vanilla
pinch of salt
Break the banana into 5-6 pieces in the mixing bowl and mix it with a hand-held electric mixer. Add the coconut oil, vanilla, and salt, and mix until smooth. Add the oatmeal and mix with a wooden spoon. Make small cookies. Press the dough down until it’s about ¼” thick. Bake in a preheated oven for 23-25-minutes. You can alter the baking time to make chewy or crispy cookies. Makes 12 small cookies.

COCONUT OATMEAL BARS (COOKIES)
(source: The Everything Coconut Diet Cookbook)

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix in a bowl:
½ c. coconut flour (sift to remove lumps)
½ c. coconut sugar
½ c. quick oats
½ c. unsweetened shredded coconut

In a separate small bowl mix:
½ c. coconut oil (melted)
2 eggs (make sure they are room temperature or they will solidify the coconut oil)
1 t. baking soda

Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients. Drop by teaspoonful (or #50 portion scoop) onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or lightly brown on edges. (Makes 24 cookies: per cookie- 126 calories, 5 g. fat, 1 g. protein, 57 mg. Sodium, 1 g. fiber, 20 g. carbohydrates. (You can also add ½ t. cinnamon for a different flavor.)

FLAX COOKIES
½ c. flaxmeal
¼ c. ground pumpkin seeds
2 T. protein powder (I use Jay Robb unflavored whey protein isolate.)
2 T. chia seeds (mill them if you like)
2 T. sugar (or alternative – I use coconut palm sugar or Swerve)
½ c. shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/3 c. coconut oil
1 T. vanilla
2 eggs
2 T. chopped raisins or dates
3 T. chopped chocolate
½ t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
Mix well. Drop onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 14-minutes.

[lessisbest]

SPECIAL OCCASIONS:

GINGERBREAD BUNDT CAKE with LEMON GLAZE (low-carb & gluten-free)
http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2011/10/gingerbread-bundt-cake-with-lemon-glaze-low-carb-and-gluten-free.html

I often make ½ a recipe and bake it in my 12-cup mini-bundt cake pan. This recipe is enjoyed by everyone, even people who aren’t gluten-free.

PALEO GERMAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
http://beautyandthefoodie.com/paleo-german-chocolate-brownies/

Forever and always my wonderful hubby made a German Chocolate Cake for my birthday – and then we went gluten-free. This recipe has been the new birthday treat. We skip the chocolate sauce, and we use low-glycemic sweeteners and I don’t use the 3 medjool dates in the Coconut Caramel Pecan Layer. I also reduce the cacao powder from 3 to 2 tablespoons.

MEYER LEMON MUG CAKE – low-carb, gluten-free
http://www.rachelcooks.com/2013/03/01/meyer-lemon-mug-cake-low-carb-gluten-free-guest-post/

[JaneV2.0]

Rosemary raisin almond pulp crackers:
http://againstallgrain.com/2012/01/25/rosemary-raisin-crisps/

[creaker]

I made these during the holidays - they were good (I had to check, but molasses appears to be gluten-free?)

Grain-Free Ginger Cookies
makes 12 cookies

Inspired by this recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond flour
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, softened
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon blackstrap molasses
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, and mix until a thick batter is formed. Chill the batter for 30 minutes in the fridge, to make sure it’s nice and firm before scooping.

Preheat the oven to 350F and drop the batter by rounded tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with a Silpat, or parchment paper. Use a wet fork to flatten each dough mound, into your desired cookie thickness. If you’d like a sugar topping, try sprinkling a bit of low-glycemic coconut crystals over the tops before baking.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until firm around the edges, but still soft in the center. Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

[jemmdotrull]

These almond flour pumpkin muffins (http://www.meincupcake.de) sound excellent. I wil try them. Thanks for that wonderful recipe!

[lessisbest]

Rosemary raisin almond pulp crackers:
http://againstallgrain.com/2012/01/25/rosemary-raisin-crisps/

Thanks for posting the link to this recipe. :cool: I'm always on the lookout for recipes that use nut pulp after making nut milk. This one went into my "pulp" folder as soon as I read it. I use the pulp from making nut milk for "cereal", cookies, crackers, and "crunch" (a granola-like mixture).

[JaneV2.0]

I'm not crazy about traditional pesto, but I've discovered that walnuts plus spinach make a tasty dip/spread. You can use this recipe as is--or substitute freely--on your GF crackers:

Toasted Walnut Basil Pesto

Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen

4 heaping cups of basil leaves (fresh spinach)
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 – 1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/4 – 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 lemon (helps maintain fresh green color!)
big pinches kosher or sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients to the pitcher of your blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth.

[peggy]

Yeah, my recipes aren't low calorie, or low carbs. They are just delicious and indistinguishable from wheat products., which was my goal after all in developing them. I always felt sorry for the little gluten free kids who couldn't simply get a treat like everyone else but had to have it stuffed with seaweed and sprinkled with brewers yeast. But then, I don't look at cupcakes and cookies as food, really. They are treats and a treat by definition should be yummy.;)

That pizza crust looks interesting. I will definitely give it a try. We love our pizza night and the more options the better. I think my favorite is a spinach Alfredo with mushrooms and a little sausage. Yum!

I also keep seeing a crust with cauliflower but haven't tried it yet. wonder if anyone else has.

[JaneV2.0]

Plantain crackers, for another dipping option:
http://www.thepaleomom.com/2012/09/plantain-crackers-nut-free-egg-free.html
They sound easy, with only three ingredients. If I make these, I'll undoubtedly tart them up.

[lessisbest]

GLUTEN-FREE PANCAKE/WAFFLE RECIPES

Pancakes and waffles are weekday staples at our house, along with a selection of gluten-free quick breads, muffins, and scones.

Gluten-free pancake tip: Make small pancakes (3-4”). Smaller pancakes tend to cook better and don’t fall apart when flipped.

I always make extras and keep them in the freezer. Some pancake recipes can be used for a sandwich wrap - just reduce or omit any sugar, and you can also add some onion or garlic powder, dill weed, or other seasoning of choice, to make a savory pancake suitable for using as a sandwich wrap.

SOAKED OATMEAL BUTTERMILK PANCAKES
(high-protein, low-carb, gluten-free)

This is my go-to recipe and I make it at least once or twice a month.
1/2 c. oatmeal (quick oats or old-fashioned)
3 T. unflavored whey protein isolate (I use NOW brand or Jay Robb.) or other protein powder of choice
1 T. coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon (optional)
1/3 c. buttermilk (can also use plain kefir or plain yogurt)
1 egg
1 T. melted coconut oil (or other vegetable oil or fat of choice) plus more for the griddle.

In a 2-cup glass measuring cup mix and soak the oats and buttermilk overnight (cover the measuring cup with a cloth or a plastic cover to keep it pest-free). Place the remaining dry ingredients in a small bowl or small covered container so it is ready to add in the morning after you soak the oats in buttermilk overnight.

In the morning, add the egg and melted coconut oil to the soaked oats, mix well. Blend in the dry ingredients. If the batter is too thick, add a little more buttermilk.

Yield: 4 small pancakes

CORNMEAL PANCAKES
2 c. cornmeal
½ c. rice flour (or other gluten-free flour, I often use buckwheat flour)
1 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1-1/2 c. buttermilk
½ c. water
¼ c. coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
1 lg. egg

In a large bowl combine cornmeal, rice flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. In medium bowl beat buttermilk, water, oil and egg. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well. Use ¼ c. batter per pancake and bake 2-3 minutes per side.

ALMOND FLOUR WAFFLES
½ c. almond flour
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. baking soda
1/8 t. cinnamon
2 eggs
1 T. honey
1 T. coconut oil
½ t. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients separately and add to dry ingredients. This will make one or two gluten-free waffles, depending on the size of your waffle iron. I use a Nordic Waffle Griddle, using < 2 T. per griddle square, and make 6 waffles.

QUINOA PROTEIN POWER WAFFLE (makes 1 waffle)
See this link for full instructions because I add more ingredients than the original recipe.
Source: http://abakerswife.com/2014/06/quinoa-protein-power-waffle.html)

In an immersion blender mix:
¼ c. cooked quinoa
¼ c. cottage cheese (I also use plain yogurt or kefir)
1 egg
1/8 t. cinnamon

My addition to the recipe:
1 T. melted coconut oil
1 T. chia seeds (or you can grind the chis seeds to chia flour if you like)
2 T. honey (or sweetener of choice)
1 t. vanilla

I usually double or triple the recipe and freeze the pancakes.

QUINOA PANCAKES
¾ c. cooked quinoa
¼ t. baking powder
¼ t. cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 packet of stevia
¼ t. vanilla
2 eggs
¼ c. Pamela’s Baking Mix (use only if mixture is thin)
Mix ingredients together. Makes 4-6 small pancakes.

GLUTEN-FREE SWEET POTATO PANCAKES
½ c. mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs
1 T. coconut flour (do not substitute with another type of flour)
1 t. cinnamon
¼ t. cloves
¼ t. baking soda
packet of stevia or 2 t. brown sugar
1 T. coconut oil (for frying pan)
Mix sweet potato and eggs until fully blended together. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Use 2 T. of batter per pancake.

MASSA HARINA PANCAKE MIX
http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=AWHN_Recipes&tier=3&id=B83DA38710C54BD2844F47947846D423

[lessisbest]

GLUTEN-FREE MIX RECIPES:

BAKING MIX (Bisquick substitute)

Recipe #1) (low-carb and high-fiber)
Makes approx. 1-cup. I have successfully used this baking mix substitute in many recipes calling for Bisquick, including Impossible Pie recipes.

½ c. almond flour
½ c. hi-maize resistant starch*
1 T. coconut oil
1-1/2 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
Using a hand-held electric mixer, mix all the ingredients together. Store any remaining mix in the refrigerator. Use cup-for-cup for Bisquick.

(Hi-maize resistant starch is available from King Arthur Flour: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/hi-maize-fiber-12-oz ,
To save money, I purchase it in 5# bags from Honeyville Grain: http://shop.honeyville.com/hi-maize-resistant-starch.html.

Recipe #2)
2-1/2 c. Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix
¾ c. butter or shortening (I use coconut oil.)
Cut fat into flour mixture. Use cup-for-cup for Bisquick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MAGIC MIX

Developed by the Utah State Extension Service, is a mix you can use to make gluten-free Cream of _______ Soup substitutes, and many other things.

2-1/3 c. dry powdered milk (non-instant milk) or 4 c. if using instant non-fat dry milk
½ c. cornstarch
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature (I use Lou Ana Coconut oil from Wal-Mart. Lou Ana brand does NOT have a coconut flavor.)

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with an electric hand-held mixer until it looks like cornmeal. Keep mix tightly covered in the refrigerator. (Note: if you use butter in the mix, use quickly. Coconut oil in the mix will keep much longer than butter and can be stored in a cool, dry, dark cabinet.

Here are links including Magic Mix recipes and recipes to use Magic Mix in:
http://everydayfoodstorage.net/about-food-storage/magic-mix

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/pub__3295363.pdf

http://www.cookingwithmyfoodstorage.com/2011/03/make-your-own-mix-magic-mix-and-link.html

[lessisbest]

I've made this recipe many times. It's a recipe you can alter quite a bit, which makes it user-friendly. Sometimes I add unsweetened coconut, cacao nibs, mini-chocolate chips.....

VANILLA OATMEAL ALMOND COOKIES
(source: http://www.anjasfood4thought.com/2011/05/vanilla-oatmeal-almond-cookies.html)

1 egg
1/3 cup palm sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted (I use 2 T. butter and 2 T. coconut oil)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (you can also use almond flavoring)

1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup chopped almonds (optional) (I have added almond slices, and almost any chopped nut will work.)


Yields 20-25
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preheat the oven to 175C/375F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine egg and sugar and beat until creamy. Add melted butter and vanilla and stir until well combined. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine oats, flour, and baking powder. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until well copmbined.
Drop teaspoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2-3 inches space between the drops. Sprinkle with chopped almonds. Bake for about 10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Let cool completely on wire rack, before storing in airtight container.

[creaker]

This is a good website for a lot of gluten-free recipes:

http://againstallgrain.com/

[lessisbest]

I tried a new gluten-free recipe that turned out great. It's very similar to a recipe from a Canadian Cookbook that was a family favorite, but made with wheat flour, so I was happy to find the gluten-free version. With zucchini season right around the corner, it's a plus to have a good zucchini bread recipe to use them in. This recipe makes 2 loaves, or 24 muffins. I made 1/2 a recipe and baked them in my mini Bundt cake pan (makes 12 mini Bundt cakes).

GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

http://myculturedpalate.com/2013/12/17/gluten-free-chocolate-zucchini-bread/
Author: Cultured Palate

Makes 2 loaves or 24 muffins

Ingredients


4 eggs
2 c. sucanat or raw sugar
½ c. apple sauce, unsweetened
½ c. olive oil
1 tsp vanilla (make your own! (http://myculturedpalate.com/2013/03/26/making-vanilla-extract-video/))
2 Tbsp butter, melted
6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
2 c. Gluten Free Pantry All Purpose Flour (http://amzn.to/V8YiO0)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1½ tsp cinnamon
2 c. zucchini, grated
⅔ c. chocolate chips
1 c. nuts, chopped (optional)

***I buy all my spices from my affiliate partner, Mountain Rose Herbs (http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/index.php?AID=130255), because of their superior quality. Their herbs & spices are organic, non-irradiated plus, I think they are more aromatic and full flavored than any others.



Instructions


Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Lightly oil two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans or 24 muffin cups. I purchased from my affiliate partner, the Le Creuset Silicone Muffin Cups (http://amzn.to/1u7Ulsq) and love them!
Combine the eggs, sucanat (or raw sugar), applesauce, oil, and vanilla - mix well.
Combine the melted butter and cocoa to form a paste - add to the egg mixture and blend.
Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to the previous mixture and mix well.
Fold in the zucchini, chocolate chips and nuts (if using).
Pour the batter into greased pans and bake loaves for 1 hour and muffins for 25 - 30 minutes or until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes in the pans and then turn onto wire rack and cool completely.
Enjoy!

The Chocolate Zucchini Bread may be frozen once it is completely cooled.


[Lessisbest note: I pressed the liquid out of the grated zucchini. It didn't say to do that in the recipe, but from experience, less moisture in the batter from grated zucchini, the better.... Especially if you use finely-grated zucchini.]

[jody]

Thank you so much for the recipes!

[SteveinMN]

The wife of someone DW knows from college days has had celiac disease for years. She recently started a blog featuring recipes which are gluten-free, crowd-pleasing, and fairly simple. We've eaten at her house and enjoyed the very recipes she's put on the blog. The blog is here (http://kilkenneykitchen.com/). I can't vouch for caloric/carb levels or such, but what we've eaten has been reasonable food that should fit a variety of eating preferences.

[lessisbest]

The wife of someone DW knows from college days has had celiac disease for years. She recently started a blog featuring recipes which are gluten-free, crowd-pleasing, and fairly simple. We've eaten at her house and enjoyed the very recipes she's put on the blog. The blog is here (http://kilkenneykitchen.com/). I can't vouch for caloric/carb levels or such, but what we've eaten has been reasonable food that should fit a variety of eating preferences.

SteveinMN - Thanks for sharing the link... Your wife's friend had some nice recipes, unfortunately she hasn't tackled the tough ones for gluten-free eating - breads, cakes, desserts, etc. - all the things normally made with wheat flour - other than one flourless cake. Ironically, I made a similar flourless cake for many years before going gluten-free. She must do without, or purchase them commercially prepared gluten-free breads and baked goods. You should send her the link to this thread for some really good gluten-free baked goods recipes. My cousin was visiting and he never realized he was eating gluten-free baked goods for breakfast and desserts the whole time he was here.

I received my 20% off shipment from Honeyville Grain yesterday (http://shop.honeyville.com/products.html), and I got an excellent cookbook "Everyday Grain-Free Baking" by Kelly Smith with my order. I always take advantage of Honeyville's 20% off sales and stock-up on almond flour and coconut flour - both are basic ingredients in my baked goods because I tend to avoid high-glycemic starches and flours. Almond flour is getting so expensive, even at 20% off (due to the drought in California), I've also been purchasing almonds from Sam's Club and putting them in the freezer so I can make my own almond flour.

[SteveinMN]

SteveinMN - Thanks for sharing the link... Your wife's friend had some nice recipes, unfortunately she hasn't tackled the tough ones for gluten-free eating - breads, cakes, desserts, etc. - all the things normally made with wheat flour - other than one flourless cake. Ironically, I made a similar flourless cake for many years before going gluten-free. She must do without, or purchase them commercially prepared gluten-free breads and baked goods. You should send her the link to this thread for some really good gluten-free baked goods recipes.
I definitely will let her know!

True, there aren't very many recipes at all for baked goods. I'm not sure that's an area she pays a lot of attention to. There are lots of good places around here to buy GF desserts or dessert mixes, but I think her family would just as soon enjoy fruit or ice cream for dessert. Not a judgement on my part; just an observation. Our family is not big on desserts, either.

[lessisbest]

9 Flourless Baking Recipes
http://news.yahoo.com/9-flourless-baking-recipes-070000687.html

I'm going to love trying the Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Mug Cake because I have some leftover pumpkin just waiting for a simple and quick recipe; and can't wait to make the Flourless Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies (we called them Chocolate Pixies). This was a favorite Christmas cookie before going gluten-free. I printed off several of these recipe to add to my gluten-free MUST TRY list.

[lessisbest]

Time for the NO-Bake recipes...and nice to find some that are also gluten-free.

HEALTHY NO BAKE FUDGE OATMEAL BARS

Found this recipe at "An Oregon Cottage": http://anoregoncottage.com/healthy-no-bake-fudge-oatmeal-bars/

It's the grown-up version of Chocolate No-Bake Cookies. I used part palm nectar and Lyle's Golden Syrup for the honey; and for the ground flaxseed I used a 50/50 mixture of ground flaxseed and chia seeds. Didn't bother with more chocolate drizzled on the top, they are pretty decedent as it is. We cut the pan into 36 small squares, so there are plenty in the freezer to enjoy later.

[thunderseed]

I was never fond of baking.

I find it hard to eat enough carbs when the only carb I can really digest well are oats. I'm thinking of making a bunch of savoury oat crepes to use as wraps and then just figure out a bunch of different tasty wrap fillings to make it more interesting.

Oat crepes and pancakes are really good, I use very minimal ingrediants, just oat flour, egg and milk and add in some coconut sugar if I want them to be sweeter. But I can't live on pancakes for the rest of my life.

I can sometimes eat that quinoa rice pasta, which is awesome because I love pasta, but I really don't think I digest it very well either.

[lessisbest]

I was never fond of baking.

I find it hard to eat enough carbs when the only carb I can really digest well are oats. I'm thinking of making a bunch of savoury oat crepes to use as wraps and then just figure out a bunch of different tasty wrap fillings to make it more interesting.

Oat crepes and pancakes are really good, I use very minimal ingrediants, just oat flour, egg and milk and add in some coconut sugar if I want them to be sweeter. But I can't live on pancakes for the rest of my life.

I can sometimes eat that quinoa rice pasta, which is awesome because I love pasta, but I really don't think I digest it very well either.

Thunderseed - How about buckwheat? I make buckwheat (soba) noodles. In fact, I've been making a lot more things with buckwheat and buckwheat flour lately (I mill my own flour). You said carbohydrate, but did you mean grain? There are a lot of carbohydrates out there besides grains, and most of us consume more than enough. You'll find lots of carbohydrates in beans, peas, mushrooms, sweeteners, fruit, vegetables.....

Have you tried substituting spaghetti squash or spiral-cut zucchini for grain-based pasta?

You may also benefit from soaking or sprouting gluten-free grains before eating them, and then they will be pre-digested. It's especially important when using oats, which have more phytates than nearly any other grain. Our ancestors soaked or fermented their grains before making them into porridge, breads, and other things. We would also benefit from this practice. I even soak oats for oatmeal overnight, as well as my recipe for Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes. I also add a little buckwheat to oats to aid in the process to neutralize the hard-to-digest phytic acid in grains.

[thunderseed]

Thunderseed - How about buckwheat? I make buckwheat (soba) noodles. In fact, I've been making a lot more things with buckwheat and buckwheat flour lately (I mill my own flour). You said carbohydrate, but did you mean grain? There are a lot of carbohydrates out there besides grains, and most of us consume more than enough. You'll find lots of carbohydrates in beans, peas, mushrooms, sweeteners, fruit, vegetables.....

Have you tried substituting spaghetti squash or spiral-cut zucchini for grain-based pasta?

You may also benefit from soaking or sprouting gluten-free grains before eating them, and then they will be pre-digested. It's especially important when using oats, which have more phytates than nearly any other grain. Our ancestors soaked or fermented their grains before making them into porridge, breads, and other things. We would also benefit from this practice. I even soak oats for oatmeal overnight, as well as my recipe for Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes. I also add a little buckwheat to oats to aid in the process to neutralize the hard-to-digest phytic acid in grains.

How do you make noodles out of buckwheat? Is it buckwheat flour? I think I can have buckwheat flour but I'm not entirely sure since I've only had it a few times. That would be cool to make my own pasta.

I meant the complex starchy carbohydrates in general, my body does not seem to digest any of them very well. So yeah, that covers rice, nuts, beans, potatoes, I have difficulties digesting a lot of carbs that are starchy for some reason. Actually, I did get organ testing done and they found out there is a problem with the part of my intestine that digests carbs, which makes sense.
I have some issues with some vegetables and fruits too, I can't have a lot of them.

I have no problem digesting any meat or animal products though.

I have actual food allergies to wheat and gluten and it causes really aweful digestive problems and even emotional reactions and intestinal bleeding, the other things aren't as bad but they definitely cause digestive issues.

It really sucks because I am so athletic and my body goes into ketosis really fast, so when I don't eat enough long lasting starchy carbs, like grains, I start smelling like amonia/vinegar, it's really gross. I do so much anaerobic activity that I need carbs to fuel my body, and of course there is a difference between carbs. There are long lasting carbs and fast digesting simple carbs that really don't give you much energy at all.
So even if I eat a whole tray of root vegetables I am starving after a few seconds. It's terrible, but the only thing that really fills me up is oats and pasta and other things that hurt my digestive system, but the oats seem to be good.

Rice is weird for me, it usually causes a lot of issues, yet when I buy sushi, the sushi rice never bothers me. But every time I try to make it at my house it causes a lot of digestive pain, so I'm guessing the rice they use at sushi restaurants is not the same as the stuff I can get at the grocery store, because I've tried soaking it and cooking it differently and everything.

Yeah I tried zuchiini pasta before, but vegetables do not fill me up for long and do not give me enough energy.

[JaneV2.0]

If you want to feel better about ketosis, try Tim Noakes' later work--or Volek and Phinney: http://www.amazon.com/Art-Science-Low-Carbohydrate-Performance/dp/0983490716/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1439681416&sr=8-2&keywords=the+art+and+science+of+low+carbohydrate+l iving

[thunderseed]

LoL the last thing I want is Ketosis to happen... I prefer to be healthy, but thanks.

[JaneV2.0]

Yeah, that's the point. Ketosis is often misunderstood, and generally good for what ails you. Noakes is a gem.
I rarely get into it, or stay there, but I'd probably be vastly better off if I did.
I understand the initial shedding of fragrant ketones :) is fleeting, but the health improvements are cumulative.

[thunderseed]

Can you please explain what Ketosis is? I have the feeling that we have completely different understandings of it. The thing is I went to school and studied physiology and it's understood in pretty basic physiology that low carb diets are extremely dangerous.

I have an open mind, but I don't trust a book that isn't an actual text book or facts that aren't actual facts. Any crack pot theorist can call themselves PHD's and write a book about random fad diets, but it really has no scientific proof in the actual world of physiology.

But if it truly is healthy to be so sick from ketosis and to smell like cat piss and lose all my muscle, then maybe the fact that I can't digest carbs could be a good thing. I'm not being sarcastic either, I would very much like to accept that lwo carb diets are healthy, but common knowledge, experience, anorexia and also education has proven to me otherwise thus far.

If it's so healthy then why does it cause kidney damage and liver damage? If not eating carbs is so good for you then why does the brain only survive on glycogen?
If it's so great to be in ketosis, then why isn't protien a fuel for the body? Because it's not. There are only 3 energy systems the body uses. ATP, anaerobic and aerobic systems, the body is supposed to only burn carbs, fat and atp as fuel, not protien. Protien becomes toxic, which are what the ketones are. Ketosis is basically the process of the body being starved and having to use protien instead of carbs, because it cannot and will not use fats unless it is aerobic, but the body does not store protiens, so it has to eat away at your muscles instead, which is what creates ketones, and that makes you smell like cat pee, which is really gross, but it also overtaxes the liver with many toxins and makes people very sick.
Not to mention low carb diets in general cause that starvation euphoria "i feel so great" because your brain cells are dying, causes a lot of water loss and muscle loss, yet people seem to think they are losing fat.
This is basic physiology so I'm just not sure how someone can get away with writing a book saying that low carb diets are good for athletes. Athletes like myself know very well that we have to eat plenty of carbs or we risk many health problems!
Believe me, if there was a way I could just not eat any carbs at all, I would do it, because carbs are horrible for me to digest, but it causes me a lot worse health problems to cut them out, and does for everyone else too. If it hasn't yet, it will eventually catch up to you because you are starving yourself of something the body needs to survive.

Unless everything I learned in school is a lie, I'm not sure what to believe anymore, but I would much rather go on how my body feels and honestly, my body tells me that I need carbs to be healthy. When I don't eat enouh carbs, I am NOT healthy, far from it. I mean that would be different if you never use the anaerobic system, but I use it all the time because I work out a lot.

[JaneV2.0]

Ketogenic diets don't cause kidney damage; on the contrary: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/222845.php
High carbohydrate diets are a well known cause of NAFLD: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23657151

As I understand it, human physiology a hybrid fuel system. Those in tropical climates were more likely to run on glucose, those in Northern regions (like my ancestors) ran on fat most of the year, but the system was fluid, allowing for variations in diet.

I don't know why you're losing muscle; I'm not a physiologist. But it's not likely due to lack of carbohydrates, which are unnecessary to human health http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23657151. Gluconeogenesis provides us with all the glucose we need (which isn't much, apparently).

I think people should eat what makes them feel best. Some people apparently thrive on a carbohydrate-heavy diet. Ketogenic diets aren't for everyone--the (temporary) excretion of ketone bodies, the social drawbacks, keto flu (also temporary)--but they're often used therapeutically, and if I were facing a serious illness I wouldn't hesitate to embrace one. They have a long track record in treating epilepsy, for example, and are being studied in brain cancer.

I don't know where you get the idea that protein is toxic. It's absolutely necessary to build muscle, maintain immune health, and keep your body running properly. There are people who live on protein and fat only, quite healthfully.

But Tim Noakes, DSc, professor of exercise and sports science at the University of Cape Town. explains it much better than I can:http://www.eatrunrehabilitate.com/2013/11/a-superb-interview-w-prof-timothy.html

He's absolutely right about consensus: "Science, after all, is not about popularity and consensus. Science is about disproving hypotheses and, as a consequence, moving closer to the truth. The great threats to truth are ego, narcissism and conflicts of interest."

[thunderseed]

To clarify, I did not say protien is toxic, I said ketones are toxic. Ketosis is the process of the body using protien as a fuel (because originally the body uses carbs as a fuel but when you deprive yourself of carbs it has nowhere else to go), it breaks down the muscle in your body which is what causes muscle loss, which creates the ketones, which is what is toxic. Protien is not meant to be a fuel, it's meant to repair muscles.
No matter how much FAT you eat, it's not going to force your body to burn it, because the only thing that burns it is being aerobic. The body will always turn to protien before it turns to fat because it can't burn fat stores when it's anaerobic.
Fat has more calories than carbs and protien. It makes no sense at all to eat a bunch of fat.
The reason so many people get fat because of carbs is because they are eating unhealthy carbs like processed white flours. But there are healthy carbs out there. Even vegetables are carbs. So eating protien is not toxic. But allowing your body to starve and use your muscle as a fuel IS toxic.
When you don't eat enough carbohydrates, it forces the body to use protien as it would use a carbohydrate, and that is what ketosis is.

The first study does not prove anything, because it was a comparison between low carb and high carb, two completely unhealthy polar opposites, but I bet if they had compared it to a healthy, normal balanced diet the results would have been even better, also there are a lot of factors that make it suspicious, such as, what did they eat exactly and what KIND of carbs did they eat?

No one thrives on a carb heavy diet, just the same as no one thrives on low carb diets, they are both really unhealthy extremes. Climates are different - for example compare an inuit with someone from here. If you tried eating like them you would get very sick. It took them generations of evolution to eat that way and it has been proven they even have larger livers because of it. If you are really trying to use these things as examples, just remember that your ancestors survived on what they could get. Survival is not healthy, survival is just survival. The human body is completely capable of living for years in starvation. I know that first hand, but that doesn't mean it's healthy.

Carbohydrates are not unncessary for human health, that is the strangest thing I've ever heard. As said before, the brain only exists on glycogen, the human body runs on glycogen and glucose (which are carbohydrates by the way). It's a simple fact, the body needs glycogen and glucose.

You are giving me links to very suspicious web sources. I don't trust anything on the internet, it's literally full of a bunch of misinformation and articles written by anyone. Just because it's popular on the internet doesn't mean it's real. I am very careful when it comes to believing anything I read on the internet.

Just adding, that I wish I could eat nothing but meat and animal products, because literally those are the only things I can digest easily.

[JaneV2.0]

Ketones are a product of fatty acid metabolism, btw, not protein breakdown. You can check my facts on the importance of carbohydrates in any physiology text. Not necessary. Gluconeogenesis does the trick.

It's a good idea to do your own research and be skeptical. Good luck.
Your body, your science experiment, as they say.

[thunderseed]

Well, are you having much luck with it yourself? Are you sure you are actually healthy? I guess the best you can go by is personal experience.

Yes, it is good to be skeptical, that way you are never led astray. After studying physiology and having actual text books here, I can truly say your facts are not actual facts that are accepted within the physiology community, that's not to say maybe there was a contradicting study done at some point in time, but as far as I see I don't see anything that contradicts it properly yet, it appears to be based on things that are written on the internet and every source has completely forgot to mention basic physiology in its equation.

[lessisbest]

Haven't added a recipe in awhile. I made this Breakfast Cookie Thursday, to take on a short trip, knowing we would eat lunch much later than normal and wanted something substantial to hold me over. Hubby liked it so much he asked if I would make another recipe of it so he could take it out to work on Monday, and I did that this morning.

Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies
(source: http://leelalicious.com/pumpkin-breakfast-cookies/)

Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies



Prep time
10 mins

Cook time
15 mins

Total time
25 mins



These pumpkin flavored healthy cookies make a great seasonal grab-and-go breakfast. With hearty wholegrain oats, cranberries and pumpkin seeds
Yield: 12 cookies

Ingredients


¼ cup Spectrum® coconut oil, melted (I used LouAna brand coconut oil - available at Wal-Mart - NO coconut flavor)
¼ cup honey
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup quick cooking oats
⅔ cup dried cranberries
⅔ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup ground flax
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs, beaten



Instructions


Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a baking sheet.
In a small bowl warm Spectrum® coconut oil and honey (either microwave, inside preheating oven or on the stove top).
In a large bowl combine both kinds of oats, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, ground flax, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add pumpkin puree, eggs and warmed coconut oil and honey. Stir until fully combined.
Drop about ¼ cup sized scoops of the mixture onto a cookie sheet and flatten (cookies won't spread while baking). Bake for about 15-20 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
Let cookies cool on baking sheet before moving to an airtight storage container.



Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 cookie Calories: 221 Fat: 10.8g Saturated fat: 5g Carbohydrates: 27.2g Sugar: 10.7g Sodium: 111.6mg Fiber: 3.9g Protein: 6.7g Cholesterol: 31mg

Changes I made to the recipe:
1. Used reduced-sugar cranberries and only added 1/3 c. (instead of 2/3 c.) Nearly any kind of dried fruit could be used.
2. Used a 50/50 blend of ground chia and flax seeds. 1/4 c.
3. Instead of honey, used low-glycemic coconut palm nectar (aka coconut palm syrup - homemade version)
4. The raw pumpkin seeds were sprouted and dehydrated first - which makes them easier to digest and healthier for you.

[lessisbest]

Try this gluten-free recipe the next time you have 1/2 c. of pumpkin puree you don't know what to do with.

PUMPKIN CEREAL BARS

Blend together in a small bowl:
1 T. honey (or other liquid sweetener - coconut palm syrup, golden syrup, maple syrup, white corn syrup, sorghum syrup....
1 T. (melted) coconut oil
1/2 c. pumpkin puree

Mix together in another bowl:
2 c. crispy rice cereal
1/4 c. raisins
1/4 c. shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 t. ginger (I used pumpkin pie spice.)

Grease an 8x8" square baking pan. Blend the cereal mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Fill the baking pan. Bake in a 350°F pre-heated oven for 30-minutes. Cool; cut into squares. Dust the top with powdered sugar (I would use Swerve or dextrose powder - in order to avoid sweeteners high in fructose.)