So New To This!

[AgainstTheGrainIdaho]

So I have a lot of family that is intolerant of Gluten and so I thought I'd give it a try to see any changes. I lost weight so fast in the first week that I cut it out, so I think my body actually likes me better for not eating it. I am already very much into healthy foods and lifestyle so when I jump into something I go all out and just get rid of things in my house.Now the only problem is.....What is the best? We are on such a tight budget that I really can't afford to experiment too much and waste what I buy. What are the best blends of gluten-free flours? I have seen so many. What are some of the best cookbooks to check out to begin to learn how to gluten-free myself and my family? Need some tips. I have read a lot on here already so I've heard what kind of rice flour is best and what to do to help make things less "grainy" but I am looking for things I can make my kids for snacks and such. They are 3,6 and 8 and pretty picky.We do eat tons of fresh veggies and fruits and we hunt for our own meat so we do plenty of that, I am looking for great cracker recipes, things like that. I don't necessarily want sugar/sweet snacks though. We also don't do dairy if we can help it and try to stay away from soy because I have 2 sons and I know that too much can be bad for them. So really, cookbook suggestions or website/blog suggestions and a great gluten-free flour base that will help me transition over to this life style would be such a tremendous help!! Anyone have a review on the brand Gift of Nature, All Purpose Flour Blend, Gluten Free? Thanks SO much!!

[sb2178]

So far, making my own blends work better than any mix I've tried. Basically, I do one part flavored flour, one part brown rice flour, one part starch, and then either 2 T ground flaxseeds or 1/2 t guar gum. I have not tried using this in anything without eggs.

So for all-purpose use white rice flour; for corn, use corn flour; buckwheat, etc. I have a good cornbread recipe if you want it. (message me)

Snacks: Other than fruit, veg, nuts, I like making my own larabars (dates, nut butter, extra flavors like lemon juice etc), sometimes with cereal in them. I've also made basic nut rounds with ground nuts, eggs, cinnamon, a hint of honey, and a little flour or quinoa flakes. Making your own waffles/pancakes en masse and freezing makes a nice base that reheats quickly for peanut butter or even something like bacon. It's easy to make them not sweet/sweet as you desire. Onigiri are good, too (rice balls).

There was a cookbook titled something like 365 gluten-free which seemed pretty all encompassing but I didn't really make anything out it while I had it from the library. Lots of blogs out there (I have one, actually, as do many other folks on here... check out their profiles for links), and mostly they're pretty good. You really just have to find someone with a similar approach to the kitchen.

[eatmeat4good]

I am on a budget too and didn't want to experiment a lot. I only use Almond Flour and sometimes a little coconut flour. I rely on Elana's Pantry recipes almost exclusively. She is perfect for me. Simple straight forward recipes that always turn out for me.

I bought her book too and I don't regret it. When I get more time and money I might branch out into xanthan gum etc. But I really wanted to be grain free too because most of the gluten free flours are actually higher in carbs than gluten flour. So it is simpler and healthier...that is a win/win for me. Anyway, you can check out her site and try some recipes and then you will know if it is right for you.

[AgainstTheGrainIdaho]

Thanks for the information. I will see what books I can get that the local Library too. Then try some recipes and see if it's worth buying. I will also check out some blogs too.

[mommida]

I suggest The Gluten Free Kitchen by Robin Ryberg. She uses a lot of cornstarch so you don't have to spend Mucho bucks searching out expensive flour substitutes.

[love2travel]

Just a suggestion on gluten-free cookbooks - I personally would not bother with COOKbooks as most recipes (except baking) seem to be intrinsically gluten-free anyway (or the few that are not have simple substitutions such as using gluten-free soy sauce). I would, however, recommend gluten-free BAKING books as baking is sooooooo different from gluten baking. Good idea to try your library first! One of my favourite tried and true gluten-free websites is Open Original Shared Link The baking is actually very good! She is also creative which I personally love.