Official G-glo.com Website & Blog

Thursday, January 21, 2010

THAT GLUTEN IS SNEAKY

That's a fact, gluten is one sneaky pesk. Hidden gluten can be found in gravy, broth, bouillon, soy sauce, salad dressings, cured meats, sausage, hot dogs, burgers, flavored and herb cheeses, spice blends including curry powder, dry mustard, canned and prepared soups, tomato paste, sweeteners, brown sugar, beverages, flavored coffees, herbal teas ( watch for barley), roasted, flavored nuts, jerky, flavored yogurts and puddings. some chocolate, instant coffee, flavored vinegars, cooking wines, flavored liqueur, wine coolers, some ice cremes and frozen desserts. Always read labels or call the manufacturer.

GLUTEN is the elastic protein in the grains: wheat, rye, barley, graham, semolina, bulgar wheat, spelt, farro and kamut. Commercial oats also contain gluten due to cross contamination in processing.
Recipes that use flour ( bleached whie flour, whole wheat flour, cracked wheat, barley,semolina, spelt, farro, kamut or vital wheat gluten are not gluten free.
Semolina, spelt and whole grain pasta, including cous cous is not gluten free

Beer, ale, malt flavorings and barley malt are not gluten free

Recipes calling for bread crumbs, breaded coating, flour dredging, bread, flat bread, croutouns, bagels, croissants, flour tortillas pizza crust, graham crackers, granola, cereal, wheat germ, wheat berries. cookie crumbs, pie crusts, crackers, pretzels, toast, wraps, or pita bread is not gluten free.

The vegan protein called seitan is not gluten free and some tempeh is not gluten free ( you must check). Flavored tofu many or may not be gluten free.

Barley enzymes used in malt, natural flavors and to process some non dairy beverages, chocolate chips, coffee substitutes, dessert syrups and even some brown rice syrups are not gluten. Always check

SO WHAT IS GLUTEN FREE???????????

Grains, flours, starches, and thickeners that are safe for celiac and wheat allergies include:

Corn, grits, polenta, and cornmeal
Buckwheat, buckwheat cereal, kasha, and buckwheat flour
Rice, white, brown, risotto, basmati, jasmine, sticky rice, rice cereal
Quinoa, and quinoa flour
Millet and millet flour
Sorghum flour
Amaranth and Amaranth flour
Certified gluten free oats and oatmeal
Coconut flour
Teff flour
Nut meals and flours- almond, chestnut, pecan, cashew
Chick pea, garbanzo soy and bean flour
Tapioca and tapioca starch
Potato flour and starch
Sweat potato and yam flour
Arrowroot starch
Cornstarch

PRE MADE INGREDIENTS that are safe for celiac include:
100% corn tortillas, and taco shells
Plain teff wraps made from 100 % teff flour
100% brown rice tortilla wraps
Unflavored mochi
100 % corn pasta
Quinoa and corn pasta
Soy pasta is it states gluten free
Brown rice and white rice noodles, rice glass noodles
100% Buckwheat sorba noodles
Rice paper
100% nut butters
100% seed butters

ABOUT BAKING RECIPES:
When it comes to converting your favorite baking recipes to gluten free, a simple one to one flour substitution will not yield the same results based on a wheat flour recipe.
Gluten is a living, stretchy ingredient that supports rise, structure, texture and kneadabilty. It takes more than a single gluten fee four replacement to create cake, bread, muffin, or cookie recipe that work. A combination of gluten free flours and starches with some extra egg whites or leavening and xanthan gum added to improve viscosity is necessary for optimum results.

I hope this helps explains things a bit more easily. Living gluten free is not only obtainable, but actually easy once you have the working knowledge. Remember my favorite saying, "KNOWLEDGE = POWER" well here ya go.........ta ta beauties