Gluten Free Processed Foods

[Persei V.]

Surprise, surprise! I found a store specialized in selling gluten free goodies (very rare around here) and if the food they sell is indeed gluten free, I can't tell -- I only left with two mini pizza crusts, the only thing there without artificial sweeteners (maltitol, sorbitol, aspartame) and chemical additives.

I was looking forward to leave the whole foods diet because I feel good enough to try some other things again, though I'll keep the diet and let my sister eat the crusts since I am not going back there. Too much work for a pizza crust, I don't miss it anyway.

So I really wonder: is gluten free food always this bad? Even the protein bars are full of junk. I'd rather keep my diet whole, thank you very much.

[shadowicewolf]

For a once in a while treat? Its fine. For everyday consumption? No way.

[cap6]

Surprise, surprise! I found a store specialized in selling gluten free goodies (very rare around here) and if the food they sell is indeed gluten free, I can't tell -- I only left with two mini pizza crusts, the only thing there without artificial sweeteners (maltitol, sorbitol, aspartame) and chemical additives.

I was looking forward to leave the whole foods diet because I feel good enough to try some other things again, though I'll keep the diet and let my sister eat the crusts since I am not going back there. Too much work for a pizza crust, I don't miss it anyway.

So I really wonder: is gluten free food always this bad? Even the protein bars are full of junk. I'd rather keep my diet whole, thank you very much.

Whole food is always bes but it is so nice to have he option of a reat now and then. Especially at parties ec.

[Persei V.]

I'll consider the pizza a treat

After I found out I can't make bread nor nut butter at home, I'm sort of out of options.

[JNBunnie1]

I'll consider the pizza a treat

After I found out I can't make bread nor nut butter at home, I'm sort of out of options.

Awwww. What happened?

[Persei V.]

My blender doesn't do nut butter. I can't get past the "sticking to the jar walls" part. Also, turns out changing almond flour to rice flour on a bread recipe doesn't really work, so...

[JNBunnie1]

Yeah, those two things aren't interchangeable. I would say it would be better to start with a recipe geared towards rice flour. And maybe check some youtube tutorials on how to make nut butter? My understanding is you have to let it run for like ten minutes at least, but I've never tried it.

[megsybeth]

I guess it really depends what you consider processed foods. I would consider rice pasta processed and I like that. I usually make my own risotto but I used to like the risotto mixes before going gluten-free and I like nut crackers, pirates booty, vans frozen waffles (but mostly for my boys). I'm very new to baking but find if the recipe has some interesting texture going on I like it better. So I'm much happier with a rice flour based muffin if there are nuts, spices, fruits, carrots inside. If it's just plain batter it gets sandy. I also like tortillas and corn based scones and muffins a lot, much better than I ever liked wheat.

[bartfull]

I have often wondered why they don't vitamin fortify gluten-free bread. Then when I have a sandwich I wouldn't feel so guilty eating empty calories.

Then again, before going gluten-free, I used to wonder why they didn't vitamin fortify potato chips for the same reason.

[frieze]

I have often wondered why they don't vitamin fortify gluten-free bread. Then when I have a sandwich I wouldn't feel so guilty eating empty calories.

Then again, before going gluten-free, I used to wonder why they didn't vitamin fortify potato chips for the same reason.

I think, perhaps someone should suggest it. That said, the gluten goodies i believe are mandated to be. Kinda trying to save us from ourselves? To justigy eating four serving of cereal for breakfast, and no protein....?

[cavernio]

Sounds like your gluten-free store caters to diabetics too persei v. It explains why there isn't sugar in those goodies.

As to manufactured goodies having chemicals in them, well yes, of course they will. If you add baking soda to homemade goodies and you're using chemicals. And of course the manufactured foods have to have a shelf life. And I would expect protein bars to have weird ingredients like creatine in them, seeing as they're targeted at body builders.

There are a couple of fortified gluten-free breads in my grocery store, but the all seem to have something else in them I'm avoiding, dairy or corn. I eat El Peto breads. The only weird ingredient in them is potato syrup solids, but they are egg free so I suspect it replaces that.

As for nut butter, I haven't tried making any myself, but I would suggest a food processor instead of a blender. Food processors will chop/smooth things with far less liquid than my standard Oster blender can. I've tried blending nut/tofu cream pies for instance with my blender, and it does take forever, and then the motor gets hot like it might burn out, and it still didn't get as smooth as it was supposed to.

I got a cheap food processor for my birthday last year because I really wanted one, but unfortunately the container melted in the dishwasher (top-rack safe my ass), so I didn't get to try all the things I wanted to do with it. (Black and decker doesn't even have my model on their website, stupid chinese knock-off...sounded like a jet was taking off when it ran too.) It did make curry paste though, while my blender can't.

I also wouldn't give up on the at home bread. One thing when baking you should substitute flours based on weight, not volume. You would probably need a fair bit more almond flour than rice flour. But probably better would be to find a recipe that calls for almond flour specifically.

[Persei V.]

Yeah, I will try to make nut butter again as soon as I put my hands on a good food processor...

Maybe I should also add a scale to my shopping list, it seems.

[Gemini]

Sounds like your gluten-free store caters to diabetics too persei v. It explains why there isn't sugar in those goodies.

As to manufactured goodies having chemicals in them, well yes, of course they will. If you add baking soda to homemade goodies and you're using chemicals. And of course the manufactured foods have to have a shelf life. And I would expect protein bars to have weird ingredients like creatine in them, seeing as they're targeted at body builders.

There are a couple of fortified gluten-free breads in my grocery store, but the all seem to have something else in them I'm avoiding, dairy or corn. I eat El Peto breads. The only weird ingredient in them is potato syrup solids, but they are egg free so I suspect it replaces that.

As for nut butter, I haven't tried making any myself, but I would suggest a food processor instead of a blender. Food processors will chop/smooth things with far less liquid than my standard Oster blender can. I've tried blending nut/tofu cream pies for instance with my blender, and it does take forever, and then the motor gets hot like it might burn out, and it still didn't get as smooth as it was supposed to.

I got a cheap food processor for my birthday last year because I really wanted one, but unfortunately the container melted in the dishwasher (top-rack safe my ass), so I didn't get to try all the things I wanted to do with it. (Black and decker doesn't even have my model on their website, stupid chinese knock-off...sounded like a jet was taking off when it ran too.) It did make curry paste though, while my blender can't.

I also wouldn't give up on the at home bread. One thing when baking you should substitute flours based on weight, not volume. You would probably need a fair bit more almond flour than rice flour. But probably better would be to find a recipe that calls for almond flour specifically.

All of the gluten-free goodies I make from time to time, whether they be home made or a mix, do not have chemicals in them. If you read most of the gluten-free mix ingredient lists out there, they have minimal ingredients and are light years ahead of mainstream processed stuff...which are all chemicals. I don't know when all this fear of processed foods started but there is nothing wrong with having a treat, even every day. I'm not advocating eating the whole pan of brownies but a brownie or a couple of cookies never hurt anyone...unless you have additional food allergies/intolerances. Even for newbies, unless you are bothered after eating something, having a treat is good for morale!

As far as baking bread is concerned, yes, the best way to measure out flour is by weight. The French do this and they are masters at bread making. Flour is influenced by humidity and dryness so some flours will be heavier than others. That can cause many bread failures. You will also learn over time which flours pair well together.

[Sunny600]

I avoid gluten-free processed foods just like I avoided other processed foods before I found out I had celiac's disease, because whole foods really do make me feel better. My problem with the processed gluten-free foods, besides all the chemicals is that they contain so much pure starches instead of whole grains. I've been making my own mostly whole grain crackers, and there's one kind of gluten-free bread I like that only has a few ingredients, for the occasional piece of toast, but other than that, I eat a lot of corn tortillas and rice, and I'm not missing the gluten products very much.