Oat Substitution?

[dmchr4]

I've noticed that some of recipes included on this board use oats. I thought celiacs were supposed to avoid oats?

Are there any other rolled grains that are gluten free that can be used in things like granola? My daughter LOVES homemade granola and would love to be able to eat it.

[gf4life]

Most Celiacs do avoid oats. The problem with oats is that only a few people react to the form of gluten (protein) in oats, but oats are often contaminated with wheat, either in the field or in the harvesting/processing. So in the USA all brands of oats are considered contaminated and it is eat-at-your-own-risk. I personally can live without oats. The only "safe" brand of oats available in the USA are McCann's Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal (in the metal can). They are sold in most healthfood stores and Trader Joe's carries them usually. It is only the long cooking oats, not the quick cooking rolled oats. They don't taste the same as regular oatmeal and don't work for cookies, granola and such either. There is also some question as to whether they are contaminated on the truck being brought in from the field. Like, maybe the trucks aren't dedicated to gluten free grains, etc... We didn't react to them though and I am extremely sensitive.

I know that the Ener-G brand granola bars that I have bought are made almost entirely of nuts in an odd cookie base. They don't really taste like granola, but they don't taste bad. The ingredients are:

Filbert paste (dry roasted filberts, sugar), organic evaporated cane juice, resistant corn starch, diced walnuts, diced almonds, diced pecans, crisp rice cereal (brown rice & honey), palm oil, Egg Replacer [(tapioca flour, potato starch, leavening (calcium lactate{from corn}, calcium carbonate, glucono delta lactone{from corn}), cellulose gum, carbohydrate gum)], orange peel (orange peel with sugar and oil of orange added), sea salt, filtered water.

What exactly are you making that requires oats and you want to substitute? It would help to know since different substitutions would work best for different things...

God bless,

Mariann

[tarnalberry]

To top it off, a study put out a few weeks ago shows that McCann's is sometimes also contaminated - over the 200ppm level allowed by the old CODEX standard.

[gf4life]

Tiffany,

That sounds about right. I must have got lucky and got some that wasn't contaminated. I just eliminate oats right along with the rest. I'd rather be on the safe side, than risk getting glutened!

[sashabetty]

Isn't there a rolled Quinoa product? Would that work? Has anyone tried using it?

My 2yr old daughter loved my "lola bars" as she called them, and I would love to find an oat substitute.

[dkmb]

I use Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flakes for a cereal. They have cookie and muffin recipes on the box which I haven't tried. I think you could probably substitute them for oats but I don't think they would remain as well formed in a cookie as oats do. They seem to be more delicate and light. They contain all the essential amino acids, so are quite good for you, as well as good amounts of Thiamine, Riboflavin and Iron. They are also organic.

DK

[tarnalberry]

The recipe for banana muffins on the quinoa flakes box is quite good - I've made it a number of times. Light muffins, but tasty (and freeze fairly well).

[dmchr4]

I'd love to be able to make homemade granola for my daughter. It has oats, cornflakes, oil, honey, dry milk powder, and cinnamon in it as the base (you can always add coconut, raisins, sunflower seeds, etc.) So as you can see, the only problematic ingredient is the oats.

Guess I'll have to check the healthfood store and see if there is anything like rolled quinoa or anything else!