Recently, we had the opportunity to enjoy a “Gluten Free Expo.”  It was very informative but even better were the samples.  It’s nice to see more and more GF foods in the grocery stores but it’s nice to see what they taste like before buying.  That’s what this expo was all about — TASTING!  Yes, some things were better than others but there were several delicious pizzas and some great breads.  We came home with a bag of information and coupons!

Did you know that most Blue Cheese dressings contain gluten?  Bread mold is injected into the cheese — hence the gluten.  And . . . beware of soy sauce and Twizzlers.  Some candies are dusted with flour so they don’t stick .  It’s such a small amount that it’s not required to list it in the ingredients.  Those with celiac will know, however.

Dough Enhancer will help make baked good fluffy.  It will also enhance the natural flavors and increase the dough strength and shelf life.  It is made from whey, soy lecithin, tofu powder, citric acid, dry yeast, sea salt, spice blend, corn starch, ascorbic acid (vitamin C).  And it’s gluten free.

As we all try to make delicious baked goods, it’s good to have ideas from others doing the same thing.  You can purchase dough enhancer at the following:

www.againstthegrainslc.com

www.calisnaturalfoods.com

www.goodearthnaturalfoods.com

www.kitchenkneads.com

Have you tried Xanthan Gum?  This is a microbiol polysaccharide derived from the bacterium Xanthomonas camperstris.  It is a stabilizer and binder in bread and cakes.  It’s a great thickener for sauces and it can be used to prevent ice crystals in ice cream.  Use 1 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum for every cup of wheat-free or gluten-free flour.

I went to a great GF cooking class and was very impressed at what I learned.  When someone is able to “mess around” with recipes just as a hobby, you know that you are sure to pick up some little tidbits of information that is invaluable.  Here are some interesting bits of information that may be helpful.

• Buckweat flour is gluten free.  It is related to rhubarb.  It is quite strong so it is best used in small amounts to flavor bland breads such as rice flour breads.
• Potato starch flour is starch made from potatoes.  It stores well.
• Potato flour is not potato starch.   It is quite heavy.   This is used in small quantities and must be refrigerated.  (Don’t buy a lot.)
• Sorghum flour is specially bred sorghum grain.  Easily stored in the pantry.
• Soy flour is high in protein and fat.  It must be refrigerated and goes stale easily.  It has a nutty flavor and is best used in combination with other flours.
• Tapioca flour adds “chew” to baked goods.   It stores exceptionally well.
• Teff flour is primarily grown in Ethiopia and Eritrea.   It grows in several different colors and each has it’s own flavor.  It adds a nutty sweet flavor.  Stores best in cool, dry place.
• Amaranth flour is ground from the seed of a pigweed related plant.
• Quinoa seeds are related to spinach and beets.  Always look for debittered flour.
• Millet and Teff come from the same grass family as corn, rice and sorghum.

Check our www.lovemuffinsbakeryslc.com.  Trish is the owner/baker and loves this hobby.

School begins for most students within the next few weeks — some are already in full swing.  School lunches do not  offer much in the way of gluten free.  SO . . . write in and tell us your favorite, best, easiest, etc. home-packed school lunch for your GF student.  We’ll be compiling the best of these into a book to download.

Imagine a cute celiac kid walking into a bakery and hearing, “You can have anything that you would like!”

On our way home from a morning of swimming, my cute grandsons, their dad and I stopped at Eleanor’s Bake Shop.  It is 100% gluten free!  It is even tested on a regular basis for any trace of gluten.  There were sandwiches, cupcakes, cake pops, cookies of all kinds, sweet rolls, muffins, corn bread and beautiful wedding cakes — and probably more.  This little celiac kid’s eyes just popped!  How could he ever choose!  Skeptical me took a few samples and was more than pleasantly surprised.  The chocolate cookies were divine, the sweet rolls were scrumptious and the corn bread was excellent!  This will be a permanent stop each time my grandsons visit!

Planning excursions with my grandsons was most fun!  Because one of them is a the celiac kid we packed GF lunches and were on our way.  No matter where we were at lunchtime — lunch was right with us.  I am so grateful for “Go-Gurts” and peanut butter — the kids loves them!

In preparation  for my grandson’s visit — the celiac kid, I called several of my favorite restaurants to check about GF availability.

I was pleasantly surprised at how many knew about celiac and GF, the person I talked to was GF or a close family member was, and many had at least a few GF items on their menu.  I was careful to mention about gluten contamination.  Stopping for an ice cream, fruit smoothie or a root beer float was a fun, easy and safe way to end our adventures each day!

Within a few days, another display of GF foods appeared at Dan’s Food.  There are hamburger buns — fresh, frosted cookies — bakery fresh, as well as sliced bread and other treats.  I am so thrilled to see this easy access to GF foods.  I look forward to my grandson’s next visit.  He will be able to go to the store with me and choose from a variety of foods that are safe for him to eat!