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Celiac.com 10/25/2024 - In 1963, agricultural scientist Robert Baker at Cornell University revolutionized the food industry by inventing chicken nuggets. Baker’s goal was to use the often discarded parts of chickens by grinding them into bite-sized pieces and coating them with a breading that could survive freezing and industrial frying. His innovation paved the way for a new era of crispy, breaded proteins in the food industry. However, for those with gluten-related disorders like celiac disease or gluten intolerance, enjoying these crispy creations has historically been off-limits due to the reliance on wheat flour breadcrumbs, which contain gluten. The Challenge of Gluten-Free Breadings and Batters For the approximately 8.5% of the global population affected by gluten-related disorders, the inclusion of wheat in breaded foods poses a significant dietary challenge. But advancements in food science are changing that. Companies like US Foods, based in Rosemont, Illinois, are offering alternatives that allow those with gluten sensitivities to enjoy breaded and battered foods without risking their health. US Foods, for example, uses a blend of rice and yellow corn flour, seasoned with herbs and spices, to create gluten-free breaded chicken. They’ve also developed more innovative coatings made from ingredients like amaranth, quinoa, and chia seeds, proving that gluten-free breadings can be just as delicious and crispy as their gluten-filled counterparts. Adding Value to Meat with Gluten-Free Breadings Breadings and batters not only add flavor and texture to meat and poultry products but also help increase product yield and retain moisture during cooking. Conor Sullivan, Senior Technical Services Specialist for Convenience Foods at Cargill, highlights that breadings act as a barrier to moisture loss, making the final product juicier. Additionally, breadings and batters allow for flavor innovation, with added seasonings and spices catering to various flavor profiles, including spicy or ethnically inspired dishes. Amr Shaheed, Technical Services and Application Development Manager at Innophos, adds that breadings can extend the shelf life of products by protecting them from oxidation and contaminants. This increases their value, particularly for ready-to-cook options that offer consumers both convenience and quality. Importantly, gluten is not an essential component in these coatings, even though wheat flour is often the go-to for its ease of use and low cost. Common Gluten-Free Alternatives for Breadings and Batters Although wheat flour is traditionally used in breadings and batters, its role can be effectively replaced by various gluten-free alternatives. Common options include almond flour, chickpea flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, rice flour, and potato starch. These alternatives can be blended to achieve the desired texture and functionality in gluten-free coatings. However, switching from wheat-based formulations to gluten-free versions does come with its challenges. Formulators must carefully monitor the viscosity of gluten-free batters, as this affects major factors like pickup, cook time, and texture. Differences in color, blistering, and yield may also arise when substituting gluten-free flours. Additional ingredients such as cornstarch or xanthan gum are often used to improve viscosity, binding, and crispiness. Adjusting water levels in the recipe may also be necessary to achieve a product comparable to its gluten-containing counterpart. Overcoming Challenges in Gluten-Free Formulations Working with gluten-free breadings and batters presents several challenges, including achieving a cohesive texture, managing moisture levels, and ensuring proper adhesion. Shaheed suggests using phosphate in the batter or breading recipe to improve texture and moisture retention. Additionally, ensuring the protein’s surface is dry before applying the coating is essential for proper adhesion. Sullivan emphasizes the importance of using a pre-dust coating, which helps with adhesion and serves as a barrier to moisture loss. Pre-dust coatings are typically made from starches or flours and can also include flavors and seasonings to enhance the overall taste of the final product. These coatings ensure that the gluten-free batter and breading stick well to the protein, resulting in a product that is both flavorful and juicy. To extend shelf life and prevent mold, food manufacturers often add antioxidants and antimicrobial agents to gluten-free coatings. These additions help ensure the final product remains fresh and safe for consumption, even after extended storage. Next-Generation Gluten-Free Breadings and Batters As consumer preferences evolve, there is a growing demand for gluten-free breadings that not only avoid gluten but also cater to health-conscious individuals. Some brands are experimenting with high-protein, low-carb ingredient systems that appeal to those avoiding carbohydrates. While these formulations may be more expensive, they command a premium price at retail or on restaurant menus. One of the most exciting trends in gluten-free breadings and batters is the use of ancient grains. These grains, which have remained largely unchanged for thousands of years, offer a nutrient-dense alternative to modern wheat. Grains like amaranth, quinoa, and teff are rich in essential nutrients and provide a range of flavors and textures. They can be used as flour in breadings or as whole grain inclusions to add visual appeal and crunch. For example, teff, a staple in Ethiopian cuisine, has a mild, nutty flavor and is packed with iron, calcium, and magnesium. Quinoa, another popular ancient grain, comes in various colors and is a good source of fiber and folate. Buckwheat, despite its name, is entirely gluten-free and offers a nutty, slightly bitter flavor. Innovating with Vegetable Flours and Edible Glitter Vegetable flours, particularly cauliflower flour, are also making their way into gluten-free breadings and batters. These flours offer a better-for-you positioning that appeals to health-conscious consumers. Additionally, edible glitter and extrudates are being used to add visual interest to gluten-free products, providing color and texture without compromising on flavor. Extrudates made from corn, rice, or potato flours are commonly used to create unique appearances and crunch in gluten-free coatings. Companies like Crespel & Deiters are leading the way in this area, offering starches that ensure optimal adhesion and crispness in gluten-free coatings. A Bright Future for Gluten-Free Breadings and Batters for Celiac Disease Sufferers As food science continues to advance, the future of gluten-free breadings and batters looks promising, particularly for individuals with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities. For those with celiac disease, consuming gluten isn't just a dietary choice but a serious health necessity. Even small amounts of gluten can cause severe digestive distress and long-term damage to the intestines, leading to malnutrition and other health complications. The innovations in gluten-free breadings and batters offer a critical solution for celiac patients who previously had to miss out on enjoying crispy, breaded foods like fried chicken or fish. The development of gluten-free coatings using ingredients like ancient grains, vegetable flours, and natural starches now makes it possible for those with celiac disease to enjoy their favorite comfort foods without fear of contamination. These advancements also ensure that gluten-free breaded foods are not only safe but just as flavorful, crispy, and appealing as their gluten-containing counterparts. As brands continue to innovate, the expanding array of gluten-free options will improve the quality of life for individuals with celiac disease, allowing them to partake in the evolving world of food with confidence and enjoyment. Read more at: foodbusinessnews.net

Celiac.com 07/16/2021 - I’d like to serve a healthy, home-cooked dinner to my family, but it takes too much time. I frequently hear these words from harried cooks who are probably among the 75 percent of us who—at 4 PM on any given day—don’t know what they’re having for dinner that night, except that they want it to be quick and easy. A recent study by the NPD Group ( a market research organization) found that while the majority of Americans say they want to eat healthy—that is, more whole grains, fiber, calcium, and vitamin C and less fat, calories, cholesterol, and sugar—the driving force in their eating habits is convenience. Everyone loves a home-cooked dinner, yet few of us have time to prepare one from scratch. Over the years, I’ve discovered some principles that make food preparation quicker and easier. They’re in my latest cookbook, Gluten-Free Quick and Easy, (Avery/Penguin Group, August, 2007). Here are some excerpts from that book. Planned-Overs Save Time and Reduce Waste While some people turn their noses up at leftovers, smart cooks know that using them in new and different ways not only disguises them, it also saves time and reduces waste. In fact, these clever cooks intentionally create leftovers. However, we call them planned-overs to show that we have definite plans for how we intend to use them again. For example, if I roast a chicken, I automatically know that a couple of days later we’ll have chicken pot pie or some other kind of chicken casserole. The chicken bones immediately go into the stockpot to make chicken broth, which usually simmers during dinner. Later that evening, after the broth has simmered, it goes into the refrigerator to cool—right in the stockpot. The next day, I skim off any unwanted fat and freeze the broth in 2-cup containers. If I have any leftover broth after filling all of my containers, I whip up a quick chicken noodle soup. If there is any leftover chicken meat, it goes into a gluten-free tortilla wrap for a quick lunch. Nothing goes to waste. As you can see, that single roasted chicken determined several meals for later that week. Prepping Ingredients Ahead Sometimes it pays to prepare larger amounts of ingredients that you know you’ll use in the near future. For example, when I buy bacon, I fry the whole package until not quite done and freeze it in heavy-duty food-storage bags. Layered between two paper towels, a slice just takes a few seconds to become crispy in the microwave when I need it quickly for a recipe. Perhaps your recipe calls for a half cup of chopped onion. Why not chop the whole onion and store the remainder in the refrigerator or freezer in a food storage bag? Or, perhaps a recipe calls for a half pound of browned ground beef. Brown the whole pound and freeze the remainder. Need a quarter cup grated cheese? Grate a whole cup and store it for a future pizza (it will grate faster if it’s really cold or slightly frozen and the grater is coated with cooking spray). That way, it’s ready when you need it and you trim precious minutes off preparing a future meal. Suppose you have a recipe that calls for a pound of browned ground beef. Why not buy two pounds and cook both of them, freezing the extra pound for later use in pizza, sloppy Joes, or beef goulash—shaving precious time off food preparation on a busy weeknight. This “extra” technique works for side dishes, too—extra mashed potatoes top a shepherd’s pie later in the week and two cups of cooked rice becomes pork fried rice. Cooked vegetables show up in a couple of days as a hearty soup. Too many apples? Peel, then fry them in a pan with a little butter and cinnamon to cook up some chunky applesauce. Even the preparation of small, seemingly insignificant ingredients can reap time savings. Grate zest from lemons or oranges before you squeeze them—even if the recipe doesn’t call for zest—and freeze it in a container. Wash and dry an entire bag of lettuce, rather than just the amount you need today and store it in a plastic food storage bag in your vegetable crisper. Fewer, But More Flavorful, Ready-Made Ingredients We can reduce our time in the kitchen by using fewer, but more flavorful ingredients. For example, a splash of vinegar or lemon juice in a sauce can jazz up the flavor and reduce the need for more salt. Chicken broth is more flavorful than water; sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar is more flavorful than plain vinegar. Dried herbs are far more potent than fresh ones and don’t require washing and chopping. Since the Food Allergen and Consumer Protection Act of 2006, we can use more ready-made ingredients because the label will indicate whether they contain wheat. For example, I make a wonderfully easy black bean soup with 3 ingredients: canned black beans (rinsed and drained), chicken broth, and enough Mexican tomato salsa to bring the flavor to the desired intensity. Everything in Its Place for Efficient Organization You’ve probably heard chefs use the term “mise en place” (pronounced meez-ahn-plahs). This elegant French culinary term simply means “everything in its place,” or having all the ingredients ready on your work space (measured, chopped, etc.) so you can cook quickly and efficiently. It’s particularly important in baking, where precision and accuracy are critical. This concept of “everything in its place” can also apply to a tidy, organized work space as a major time-saver. A messy kitchen counter slows you down if you constantly have to push other items aside to make room to do your work. As you organize your kitchen, sort through appliances, utensils, bakeware, and cookware. Toss (or donate) anything that isn’t being used and organize the things you do use so that they’re easy to access. Use a Grocery List to Maximize Shopping Time Efficient cooks have a system to know what to buy and when, much like a company maintains its inventory. That’s where a grocery list comes in handy. To minimize your shopping time, you need a grocery list format that works for you and doesn’t make you run back and forth between aisles, wasting precious time. If you already have a master grocery list, great! If not, here’s how to make one. Lay out the list in the order in which you walk the aisles of your favorite grocery store, ending up at the checkout line. Organize it by what foods are in each aisle. If possible, assemble this master list on your computer so you can print a supply of forms. Carry this list with you at all times so you can add to it when necessary. Reap the Benefits of Saving Time in the Kitchen Getting a healthy, safe dinner on the table every night can seem daunting, especially when we’re pulled in so many different directions at that time of the day, but it can be a reality if you follow these quick and easy principles. At the least, they should help you get dinner on the table sooner, freeing up the rest of the evening for other chores such as helping the kids with homework, doing the laundry, or spending a few precious minutes with that special someone.

Celiac.com 10/13/2018 - Two important principles sort of collided in my brain the other day. One was the recent recommendation to increase our intake of whole grains based on the new food pyramid from the USDA. The other was our interest in time-saving prepared foods to make dishes that are at least partially homemade. About the same time these two ideas were melding in my brain, I realized how many wonderful new gluten-free cereals and crackers are now on the market. I wondered if we could boost our whole grain intake by using ready-made gluten-free cereals or crackers in home cooking. While not all of the cereals and crackers are truly “whole” grain, most are only partially refined and still quite nutritious. So, here’s my idea: One of my favorite desserts is a fruit crisp. You can make it any time of the year, using fruits in season (in my case, fruits that have sat on the kitchen counter past their prime, yet are still edible). In the fall it might be apples. Winter is perfect for pears. I like stone fruits during summer, such as peaches, plums, or cherries. Or, if you’re really desperate just open a can of whatever fruit appeals to you. Revving Up Your Home Cooking with Ready-Made Cereals Here’s where the new cereals come in. Prepare the fruit filling according to any fruit crisp recipe or use the recipe I provide here. For the topping, I like to toss Nutty Rice or the new Nutty Flax cereal from Enjoy Life Foods with maple syrup (or honey, brown rice syrup, or agave nectar). Add ground cinnamon to taste and then sprinkle it over the prepared fruit. Spray with cooking spray and bake at 350°F until the fruit is done and the topping is browned. Sometimes to speed things up, I microwave the covered fruit filling for 5-10 minutes on high, then uncover it, add the topping, and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until the fruit is soft and the topping is crisp and nicely browned. I particularly like the Nutty Flax cereal because it uses both flax and sorghum for a nutritious combination. Add extra spices such as 1/8 teaspoon each of nutmeg, allspice, or cloves for even more flavor. I also like to use the granola from Enjoy Life Foods as the topping for these fruit crisps. It’s already sweetened and flavored, available in Cinnamon Crunch, Very Berry Crunch, and Cranapple Crunch. All it needs is a little oil. Of course, if you prefer, you can toss it with a little extra cinnamon plus some maple syrup (or honey, brown rice syrup, or agave nectar) to heighten the sweetness. Add extra spices such as 1/8 teaspoon each of nutmeg, allspice, or cloves for even more flavor. Sprinkle over filling and spray with cooking spray. You can also add about ½ cup of this granola to your favorite bran muffins, cookies, or quick breads. The granola supplies a nice crunch and additional flavor and nutrients. Depending on your recipe, you may need to add more liquid to compensate for the cereal. Quinoa cereals by Altiplano Gold are packaged in individual serving packets, making them especially easy to incorporate into our baking. They come in three flavors––Organic Oaxacan Chocolate, Spiced Apple Raisin, and Chai Almond––and just need boiled water to make a hot cereal. Quinoa is a powerhouse of nutrients so I like to use the cereals in additional ways as well. Using the same concept for the fruit crisp above, I just sprinkle the Spiced Apple Raisin or Chai Almond dry cereal on the prepared fruit filling. Since the cereal is already sweetened and flavored, it only needs a little cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes. If your fruit needs additional cooking time (such as apples) try the microwave method I discuss above. You can add ½ cup of the Chocolate flavor to a batch of chocolate brownies or chocolate cookies for added fiber and nutrients. Depending on the recipe, you may need to add a little extra liquid to compensate for the cereal which counts as a dry ingredient. Creative Uses of Crackers in Home Cooking New crackers by the whimsical name of Mary’s Gone Crackers are chock-full of fiber and nutrients. They come in Original and Caraway flavors and are a nutritious treat by themselves. I also take them with me on trips because they travel so well. One creative way to use these crackers and appease your sweet tooth is to dip the whole Original-flavor cracker halfway into melted chocolate. Ideally, let the chocolate-dipped crackers cool on waxed paper (if you can wait that long) or else just pop them into your mouth as you dip them. You can also place a few crackers on a microwave-safe plate, top each with a few gluten-free chocolate chips and microwave on low power until the chips soften. Let them cool slightly so the chocolate doesn’t burn your mouth. These crackers also work great with dips and spreads. Aside from dipping in chocolate, these crackers have additional uses in baking. For example, finely crush the Original or Caraway flavor crackers in your food processor and use them as the base for a crumb crust for a quiche or savory tart. The Original flavor would also work great as a replacement for the pretzels typically used for the crust in a margarita pie. Just follow your crumb crust recipe and substitute the ground crackers for the crackers or pretzels. The crackers have very little sugar, but the Original flavor will work as a crumb crust for a sweet dessert as well. Again, just follow your favorite recipe which will probably call for melted butter or margarine plus sugar. Press the mixture into a pie plate and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes to set the crust. Fill it with a no-bake pudding, custard, or fresh fruit. The crushed crackers can also be added to breads and muffins for a fiber and nutrient boost. Depending on how much you add (I recommend starting with ½ cup) you may need to add more liquid to the recipe. I’ve just given you some quick ideas for ways to get more grains into your diet and streamline your cooking at the same time. Here is an easy version of the Apple Crisp I discuss in this article. I bet you can think of some other opportunities to make our gluten-free diet even healthier with wholesome cereals and crackers. Carol Fenster’s Amazing Apple Crisp You may use pears or peaches in place of the apples in this easy home-style dessert. If you prefer more topping, you can double the topping ingredients. This dish is only moderately sweet; you may use additional amounts of sweetener if you wish. Cereals by Enjoy Life Foods and Altiplano Gold work especially well in this recipe. The nutrient content of this dish will vary depending on the type of fruit and cereals used. Filling ingredients: 3 cups sliced apples (Gala, Granny Smith, or your choice) 2 Tablespoons juice (apple, orange) 2 Tablespoons maple syrup (or more to taste) ½ teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt Topping ingredients: ¼ cup ready-made cereal ¼ cup gluten-free flour blend of choice ¼ cup finely chopped nuts 2 Tablespoons maple syrup (or more to taste) 2 Tablespoons soft butter or margarine 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375F. Toss all filling ingredients in 8 x 8-inch greased pan. 2. In small bowl, combine topping ingredients. Sprinkle over apple mixture. Cover with foil; bake 25 minutes. Uncover; bake another 15 minutes or until topping is crisp. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Serves 6.