Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Tastes Like Dirt

Real1

Recommended Posts

Real1 Newbie
Real1
Posted

Hello

New to the Gluten Free world. I've been taste testing a lot of Gluten Free bakery items and other stuff and feel like I a wasting a lot of money. So much of the stuff really tastes like dirt...too earthy! My husband tried to be nice and bought me some Gluten Fee chocolate cookies from Harris Teater. They were as hard as a rock and taste really bad. I tried a few other cookies ...also bad. Then I tried baking some Toll House chocolate chip cookies added some cashews and dried cranberry..really tasted good! I thought great. But then they just crumbled. Also made some gluten free muffins and they did not turn out well either. The texture is all wrong! Does anyone have a suggestion for some good tasting cookies, breads, muffins or anything!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


CeliacMom2008 Enthusiast
CeliacMom2008
Posted

Don't fret, there are PLENTY of absolutely delicious gluten-free options out there!

Kinnikinnick, Pamela's, Betty Crocker all make good mixes for cakes and brownies.

This bread is fantastic: Open Original Shared Link

PB Cookies:

1 C. peanut butter

1 C. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Stir up in a bowl, roll into 1 inch balls. Place cookie balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and smash like a # sign with a fork. Cook in 350 degree oven until lightly golden about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool and enjoy! You can cook these until just done for softer cookies-or longer for crunchy ones. You can double or triple amounts to make more cookies-there

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted

You might want to consider not eating the substitutes for a few months to let your taste buds be ready to appreciate the new taste, as opposed to comparing it to the old taste.

rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

I agree--American gluten-free cookies taste really bad. When I visited my daughter in Australia, I discovered that their gluten-free cookies actually taste like REAL cookies. Now she sends them to me every few months.

As for your Nestle's chocolate chip cookies, I make those all the time, and all you have to do is use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour and add 3-4 teaspoons of xanthan gum to the batter...and they come out great! The difference is that you must wait about 90 seconds before removing the cookies from the cookie sheet--if you do it before then, they fall apart, and if you wait longer, they tend to stick to the pan. I've had many a person ask me for my "special chocolate chip cookie recipe" at numerous potlucks, but they get dissuaded when I describe the cost of gluten-free flour and xanthan gum. The key is to use a good gluten-free flour and always add xanthan gum.

With regard to the above Australian-made cookies, I just finished the last package of shortbread cookies my daughter had brought me for Xmas....and I actually cried and licked the plastic packaging they came from in order to savor the last of the crumbs. It was only then that I thought, "You big baby! Get in that kitchen and make your own darned shortbread cookies!" I just finished my first batch, and while there's room for improvement, I'm satisfied that I won't be crying over shortbread crumbs from Australia anymore.

aedixon Newbie
aedixon
Posted

Hey there. I'm not yet 4 months into my gluten free life, and I know what you're going through. It didn't take long at all for me to get really frustrated with the money I was wasting on bad food that I really couldn't even choke down. So, I stopped buying random processed gluten free things that looked interesting and just pulled back on eating anything prefab. Rice with veggies, salads, and fruit are what I relied on. Yes, I was starving. And I lost about 10lbs in about a week or so.

When I discovered Udi's I thought it was a godsend. Udi's white bread is the only bread I will eat now. I've also tried all of their muffins and they are SO GOOD! I added those to my depressing diet and it really cheered me up and gave me hope that there could be decent gluten free food.

I've since found Ancient Harvest spaghetti is the only edible gluten free one out there, pre-packaged gluten free cookies and crackers are always pretty terrible, and baking from scratch gluten free seems a bit overwhelming to me, even though I loved to bake before! It will take some research for you to begin to understand what kinds of flours work best in what kinds of baking processes. Fortunately, Betty Crocker has a gluten free line, and the chocolate chip cookies are pretty great. Almost like real cookies! ;) As are Pamela's cookie mix. I took her cookies to a Christmas party where even some little girls fawned over how good they were.

Reading this forum, researching online recipe websites and talking with local gluten free bakers (and eaters) has been key to my finding trust-worthy brands and sources. Start small, and just take in information at first. Once you get comfortable with some staples and aren't starving anymore you'll be able to explore new options. Most things won't ever taste exactly the same to you, but you'll find a comfort zone in what's close enough to make you happy.

Oh, and Rice Chex is gluten free. I also eat a LOT of that cereal for desperate snack times. ;)

Takala Enthusiast
Takala
Posted
With regard to the above Australian-made cookies, I just finished the last package of shortbread cookies my daughter had brought me for Xmas....and I actually cried and licked the plastic packaging they came from in order to savor the last of the crumbs. It was only then that I thought, "You big baby! Get in that kitchen and make your own darned shortbread cookies!" I just finished my first batch, and while there's room for improvement, I'm satisfied that I won't be crying over shortbread crumbs from Australia anymore.

Yes, decent butter will do that to people. :lol: The way the weather's going, you're going to be sending cookies back to her in care packages.

Warning for newbies: Bob's Red Mill all purpose contains bean flour which some people do not like the taste of. At all.

Mizzo Enthusiast
Mizzo
Posted

IMO

Mixes:

Hate Bobs red mill anything. the bean flour flavor really comes out.

Love Pamela's choc. cake and pancakes

Love King Arthur blends, cookies, muffins and used their all purpose gluten-free flour for pb cookies and roll out cookies and pancakes. All good.

Betty crocker is fair in a pinch but definietely crumbly.

Market basket has an ok muffin mix.

Prepared

Udi's is the best in bread and bagels.

Kinnikinnick if you don't cook has good muffins.

we have switched over to Quinoa only or Boinatura pasta now , we can't stand the corn anymore.

Everything I listed as good or better is the most expensive gluten-free brands on the market. Because it tastes the best and is certified gluten-free.

I buy only when on sale and stock up when I can.

It's trial and error based on taste and budget.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


freeatlast Collaborator
freeatlast
Posted

Hi. Everyone's tastebuds are different. You'll soon learn which gluten free flours you like and go from there. My favorite gluten-free cookies are made by Enjoy Life. They are the best cookies I've ever eaten, period, and you can buy them in America. They are soft and delicious:

Open Original Shared Link

Mizzo Enthusiast
Mizzo
Posted

Hi. Everyone's tastebuds are different. You'll soon learn which gluten free flours you like and go from there. My favorite gluten-free cookies are made by Enjoy Life. They are the best cookies I've ever eaten, period, and you can buy them in America. They are soft and delicious:

Open Original Shared Link

Ditto, their Snickerdoodle and Brownie bites are the best prepared cookies, for when you really want to treat yourself.

cassP Contributor
cassP
Posted

Hello

New to the Gluten Free world. I've been taste testing a lot of Gluten Free bakery items and other stuff and feel like I a wasting a lot of money. So much of the stuff really tastes like dirt...too earthy! My husband tried to be nice and bought me some Gluten Fee chocolate cookies from Harris Teater. They were as hard as a rock and taste really bad. I tried a few other cookies ...also bad. Then I tried baking some Toll House chocolate chip cookies added some cashews and dried cranberry..really tasted good! I thought great. But then they just crumbled. Also made some gluten free muffins and they did not turn out well either. The texture is all wrong! Does anyone have a suggestion for some good tasting cookies, breads, muffins or anything!

try adding a big tbsp of Maple Syrup to your gluten-free version of the Toll House Recipe- it makes everything stick a little better (and i dont know what flour you're using- but i prefer certified gluten-free oat flour and maybe a little soy flour.... i thought Coconut flour would be a good idea- but it was a CRUMBLY messsss

MelindaLee Contributor
MelindaLee
Posted

Are you using xantham gum when subbing gluten-free flour? That can make a difference with texture. It will never be the same, but they can be close! Good luck!

Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

Hi. Everyone's tastebuds are different. You'll soon learn which gluten free flours you like and go from there. My favorite gluten-free cookies are made by Enjoy Life. They are the best cookies I've ever eaten, period, and you can buy them in America. They are soft and delicious:

Open Original Shared Link

I tried these just last month along with the chocolate chip (bought the two pack for my son's snack box at school) and we both disliked them. We perfer homade ones.

Real1 Newbie
Real1
Posted
  • Author

Are you using xantham gum when subbing gluten-free flour? That can make a difference with texture. It will never be the same, but they can be close! Good luck!

A few people have mentioned "xantham gum" what is it and where do you buy it?

MelindaLee Contributor
MelindaLee
Posted

I buy my xanthum gum in the same place I get my Bob's Red Mill products, though I would assume other companys may also sell it. I can't tell you exactly what it is, but I know it is what gives gluten-free bakery a similar "chew" to gluten bakery. It is expensive $10-14 per bag, but you only use a tsp or so depending on what you are making and the amount of flour used. I assume they would sell it on this site as well. Most gluten-free bakery can't measure up without it.

Sarah B Apprentice
Sarah B
Posted

IMO

Mixes:

Hate Bobs red mill anything. the bean flour flavor really comes out.

Love Pamela's choc. cake and pancakes

Love King Arthur blends, cookies, muffins and used their all purpose gluten-free flour for pb cookies and roll out cookies and pancakes. All good.

Betty crocker is fair in a pinch but definietely crumbly.

Market basket has an ok muffin mix.

I'm with you on that. I hate with a passion the garbonzo bean taste. YUCK! So I went to a health food store to figure out what I could use instead and do you know what the owner of the store told me? "Well you're just going to have to get used to it." :/ Good thing she was NOT right.

Pamela's has a lot of good mixes. I made some pretty good sugar cookies with their bread mix

Open Original Shared Link

But they also have a lot of other packets that I haven't tried.

I'm still on the search for cake that doesn't remind me of corn bread. But I think I Know its out there somewhere! lol

Where do you get King Aurthor Brand?

wahmmy Apprentice
wahmmy
Posted

Recreating recipes to be gluten-free takes a lot of trial and error, usually. Flours that work for one may not work for another recipe, if you under mix or overmix, depending on the ingredients and recipe type, it can be a disater. Thankfully, it gets easier and easier! :)

A lot of good suggestions on here.

Pamela's chocolate chip cookie mix is the best mix for chocolate chip cookies, in my opinion, if you go that route. Betty Crocker isn't bad, but it's pretty grainy.

Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

I'm still on the search for cake that doesn't remind me of corn bread. But I think I Know its out there somewhere! lol

I have found that the Betty Crocker cake mixes to be very good. The devils food cake is nice and moist and does not have the corn bread consistency. Now their yellow cake does, but with a little tweaking it is fab. Mix the cake according to package directions and then mix in two ounces of softened cream cheese into the batter. I watched mine closely and took the cake out when I had a few crumbs on the tooth pick, not entirely clean. I made this for my son's birthday and everyone ate it up. My husband loved it so much he got a stomach ache from eating too much (he isn't gluten free)! :lol:

momtok&m Explorer
momtok&m
Posted

You might want to consider not eating the substitutes for a few months to let your taste buds be ready to appreciate the new taste, as opposed to comparing it to the old taste.

That's what I did. Not on purpose I just couldn't stand to spend the crazy amounts of money! I'm not gluten-free, but my 2 year old is so I gave it up to learn to cook gluten-free. It's been over a year for her and I still make a lot of "flops" but for the most part we happily eat gluten-free meals and desserts all the time.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Wheatwacked
      - Wheatwacked replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      50

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      Raising you vitamin D will increase absorption of calcium automatically without supplementation of calcium. A high PTH can be caused by low D causing poor calcium absorption; not insuffient calcium intake. With low D your body is not absorbing calcium from your food so it steals it from your bones. Heart has priority over bone. I've been taking 1...
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

      @catnapt, Wheat germ has very little gluten in it. Gluten is the carbohydrate storage protein, what the flour is made from, the fluffy part. Just like with beans, there's the baby plant that will germinate ("germ"-inate) if sprouted, and the bean part is the carbohydrate storage protein. Wheat germ is the baby plant inside a kernel of wheat...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      50

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      Hello, @asaT, I'm curious to know whether you are taking other B vitamins like Thiamine B1 and Niacin B3. Malabsorption in Celiac disease affects all the water soluble B vitamins and Vitamin C. Thiamine and Niacin are required to produce energy for all the homocysteine lowering reactions provided by Folate, Cobalamine and Pyridoxine. Weight...
    4. Florence Lillian
      - Florence Lillian replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      11

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hi Jane: You may want to try the D3 I now take. I have reactions to fillers and many additives. Sports Research, it is based in the USA and I have had no bad reactions with this brand. The D3 does have coconut oil but it is non GMO, it is Gluten free, Soy free, Soybean free and Safflower oil free. I have a cupboard full of supplements that did not agree...
    5. catnapt
      - catnapt replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

      highly unlikely NOTHING and I mean NOTHING else has ever caused me these kinds of symptoms I have no problem with dates, they are a large part of my diet In fact, I eat a very high fiber, very high vegetable and bean diet and have for many years now. It's considered a whole foods plant based or plant forward diet (I do now eat some lean...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,355
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Amy Immerman
    Newest Member
    Amy Immerman
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Wheatwacked
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Raising you vitamin D will increase absorption of calcium automatically without supplementation of calcium.  A high PTH can be caused by low D causing poor calcium absorption; not insuffient calcium intake.  With low D your body is not absorbing calcium from your food so it steals it from your bones.  Heart has priority over bone. I've been taking 10,000 IU D3 a day since 2015.  My doctor says to continue. To fix my lactose intolerance, lots of lactobacillus from yogurts, and brine fermented pickles and saurkraut and olives.  We lose much of our ability to make lactase endogenosly with maturity but a healthy colony of lactobacillus in our gut excretes lactase in exchange for room and board. The milk protein in grass fed milk does not bother me. It tastes like the milk I grew up on.  If I drink commercial milk I get heartburn at night. Some experts estimate that 90% of us do not eat Adequite Intake of choline.  Beef and eggs are the principle source. Iodine deficiency is a growing concern.  I take 600 mcg a day of Liquid Iodine.  It and NAC have accelerated my healing all over.  Virtually blind in my right eye after starting antihypertensive medication and vision is slowly coming back.  I had to cut out starches because they drove my glucose up into the 200+ range.  I replaced them with Red Bull for the glucose intake with the vitamins, minerals and Taurine needed to process through the mitochodria Krebs Cycle to create ATP.  Went from A1c 13 down to 7.9.  Work in progress. Also take B1,B2,B3,B5,B6. Liquid Iodine, Phosphatidyl Choline, Q10, Selenium, D and DHEA.     Choline supplemented as phosphatidylcholine decreases fasting and postmethionine-loading plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy men +    
    • knitty kitty
      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @catnapt, Wheat germ has very little gluten in it.  Gluten is  the carbohydrate storage protein, what the flour is made from, the fluffy part.  Just like with beans, there's the baby plant that will germinate  ("germ"-inate) if sprouted, and the bean part is the carbohydrate storage protein.   Wheat germ is the baby plant inside a kernel of wheat, and bran is the protective covering of the kernel.   Little to no gluten there.   Large amounts of lectins are in wheat germ and can cause digestive upsets, but not enough Gluten to provoke antibody production in the small intestines. Luckily you still have time to do a proper gluten challenge (10 grams of gluten per day for a minimum of two weeks) before your next appointment when you can be retested.    
    • knitty kitty
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @asaT, I'm curious to know whether you are taking other B vitamins like Thiamine B1 and Niacin B3.  Malabsorption in Celiac disease affects all the water soluble B vitamins and Vitamin C.  Thiamine and Niacin are required to produce energy for all the homocysteine lowering reactions provided by Folate, Cobalamine and Pyridoxine.   Weight gain with a voracious appetite is something I experienced while malnourished.  It's symptomatic of Thiamine B1 deficiency.   Conversely, some people with thiamine deficiency lose their appetite altogether, and suffer from anorexia.  At different periods on my lifelong journey, I suffered this, too.   When the body doesn't have sufficient thiamine to turn food, especially carbohydrates, into energy (for growth and repair), the body rations what little thiamine it has available, and turns the carbs into fat, and stores it mostly in the abdomen.  Consuming a high carbohydrate diet requires additional thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  Simple carbohydrates (sugar, white rice, etc.) don't contain thiamine, so the body easily depletes its stores of Thiamine processing the carbs into fat.  The digestive system communicates with the brain to keep eating in order to consume more thiamine and other nutrients it's not absorbing.   One can have a subclinical thiamine insufficiency for years.  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so the symptoms can wax and wane mysteriously.  Symptoms of Thiamine insufficiency include stunted growth, chronic fatigue, and Gastrointestinal Beriberi (diarrhea, abdominal pain), heart attack, Alzheimer's, stroke, and cancer.   Thiamine improves bone turnover.  Thiamine insufficiency can also affect the thyroid.  The thyroid is important in bone metabolism.  The thyroid also influences hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, and menopause.  Vitamin D, at optimal levels, can act as a hormone and can influence the thyroid, as well as being important to bone health, and regulating the immune system.  Vitamin A is important to bone health, too, and is necessary for intestinal health, as well.   I don't do dairy because I react to Casein, the protein in dairy that resembles gluten and causes a reaction the same as if I'd been exposed to gluten, including high tTg IgA.  I found adding mineral water containing calcium and other minerals helpful in increasing my calcium intake.   Malabsorption of Celiac affects all the vitamins and minerals.  I do hope you'll talk to your doctor and dietician about supplementing all eight B vitamins and the four fat soluble vitamins because they all work together interconnectedly.  
    • Florence Lillian
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Florence Lillian · Posted

      Hi Jane: You may want to try the D3 I now take. I have reactions to fillers and many additives. Sports Research, it is based in the USA and I have had no bad reactions with this brand. The D3 does have coconut oil but it is non GMO, it is Gluten free, Soy free, Soybean free and Safflower oil free.  I have a cupboard full of supplements that did not agree with me -  I just keep trying and have finally settled on Sports Research. I take NAKA Women's Multi full spectrum, and have not felt sick after taking 2 capsules per day -  it is a Canadian company. I buy both from Amazon. I wish you well in your searching, I know how discouraging it all is. Florence.  
    • catnapt
      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

      By catnapt · Posted

      highly unlikely  NOTHING and I mean NOTHING else has ever caused me these kinds of symptoms I have no problem with dates, they are a large part of my diet In fact, I eat a very high fiber, very high vegetable and bean diet and have for many years now. It's considered a whole foods plant based or plant forward diet (I do now eat some lean ground turkey but not much) I was off dairy for years but recently had to add back plain yogurt to meet calcium needs that I am not allowed to get from supplements (I have not had any problem with the yogurt)   I eat almost no processed foods. I don't eat out. almost everything I eat, I cook myself I am going to keep a food diary but to be honest, I already know that it's wheat products and also barley that are the problem, which is why I gradually stopped eating and buying them. When I was eating them, like back in early 2024, when I was in the middle of moving and ate out (always had bread or toast or rolls or a sub or pizza) I felt terrible but at that time was so busy and exhausted that I never stopped to think it was the food. Once I was in my new place, I continued to have bread from time to time and had such horrible joint pain that I was preparing for 2 total knee replacements as well as one hip! The surgery could not go forward as I was (and still am) actively losing calcium from my bones. That problem has yet to be properly diagnosed and treated   anyway over time I realized that I felt better when I stopped eating bread. Back at least 3 yrs ago I noticed that regular pasta made me sick so I switched to brown rice pasta and even though it costs a lot more, I really like it.   so gradually I just stopped buying and eating foods with gluten. I stopped getting raisin bran when I was constipated because it made me bloated and it didn't help the constipation any more (used to be a sure bet that it would in the past)   I made cookies and brownies using beans and rolled oats and dates and tahini and I LOVE them and have zero issues eating those I eat 1 or more cans of beans per day easily can eat a pound of broccoli - no problem! Brussels sprouts the same thing.   so yeh it's bread and related foods that are clearly the problem  there is zero doubt in my mind    
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.