Four years ago, I decided to take gluten out of my diet. I had pregnancy-induced hypothyroid. As a nutritionist, I know that gluten inhibits thyroid function so I said, why not?
I also decided to eliminate dairy and refined sugars to see how my body would respond.
I definitely could not have predicted what happened next.
I discovered that my thyroid function did improve, but what improved more was my digestion and elimination. I was suddenly having very regular and healthy bowel movements (so exciting!), feeling more energized throughout the day, and actually enjoying the flavor of my baked goods much more.
Cutting out refined sugar was a massive game changer.
I did not know that there is a world of alternatives to refined beet and cane sugar. They all have unique and delicious flavor profiles (dates, applesauce) and some are even pre-biotic and pro-biotic (maple syrup).
When I started baking this way, my cravings went away. They literally stopped. I was shocked. I could not believe how much sugar influenced my relationship to food. I could enjoy these baked treats without feeling like I was going to eat them all in a day if I had them around the house.
Gluten free baking can feel hard at first, but you can actually make more delicious baked goods with gluten-free flours. Add in the sugar alternatives, and you have a recipe for incredibly creative and flavorful baked goods.
The secret is figuring out which flour blend works with a particular recipe.
I don’t use GF all-purpose flour blends. I don’t like the fillers (potato starch) and binders (xantham gum) that are typically used. I also prefer to choose flours that are low on the glycemic index (arrowroot and buckwheat) instead of high glycemic ones (tapioca and rice).
Plus, most GF all-purpose blends might be okay for banana bread but not so great for pancakes. That’s why it’s easier and more delicious to have a few different gluten-free flours on hand and mix them differently depending on what you’re making.
When blending, use this rule of thumb: 70% whole grain or nut flour blend to 30% starches.
Some whole grain flours are more dry and light. Others are more moist and dense. Make sure that you use a balance of these two in your 70% mixture.
Think about the outcome: if you want a rich, dense baked good, use more of the heavy flours. For a light, fluffy crust, use the lighter, drier flours. Consider that some flours taste better in savory or sweet batters, too.
For example, a cauliflower pizza crust will do well with cornmeal. Brownies will be amazing with a blend of almond or chickpea flour and arrowroot flour.
Whole grain flours include:
Almond (dry and dense; mildly sweet)
Brown Rice (moist and dense; sweet)
Buckwheat (dry & dense; mostly savory but good with honey and pears)
Chickpea (dry and dense; mildly sweet and nutty)
Corn (dry and light; mildly sweet)
Millet (medium; either sweet or savory)
Oat (moist and dense; sweet)
Quinoa (dry and light; savory)
Sorghum (moist and dense; either sweet or savory)
Teff (dry and light; savory)
Starches include:
Arrowroot powder
Coconut flour
Tapioca flour
For starters, I recommend having almond, arrowroot, coconut, buckwheat, corn and oat flours on hand. Use cashew or sunflower seed flour if you have an almond allergy. You can grind cashews or sunflowers in an expresso bean grinder to quickly and easily make your own flour.
Hungry for more?
Download my free Gluten Free Baking Guide eBook, complete with recipes both sweet and savory.
