Tuesday, August 4, 2009

General Mills producing Gluten free!

I'd like to take just a second today to link you up to a FABULOUS Gluten Free blog, that has been long standing. Once you find this one, you may never want to come back here. lol But I hope you will to join me in my new gluten free discoveries as well. ;)

Take a look here at the gluten-free blog to see exciting news from General Mills regarding gluten free cereals!

Have a fabulous day!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Brownie recipe!

I'm back to share my brownie recipe!
This recipe is super simple and can be 'baked' in the microwave on power 9 for 6 minutes, or is fabulous baked in the oven at 350, for about 20-25 minutes.
See August 1st post for Nearly Normal All-Purpose flour recipe.

2/3 cup chocolate chips (semi sweet)
1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

2/3-3/4 cup of Nearly Normal All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. baking powder
dash of salt

Melt first 2 ingredients in microwave on high for one minute. Add next 3 ingredients and mix well, (I just mix by hand with a whisk)

Mix last 3 ingredients, and then add to chocolate mixture.
Batter will be very thick and need to be spread on in 8" square baking pan.
Quick and easy 6 minutes on power 9 in the microwave, or for more chewy brownies bake in oven at 350F for 20-25 minutes until done in centre.

These are fabulous, and you'd never know that they're gluten free! I hope you enjoy.

I will update this post with a photo when I have the brownies last long enough to take a picture!

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Welcome!

Hi and Welcome!
I have created this blog in an attempt to organize myself and help others with either Celiac Disease, or a gluten allergy/intolerance find their way through living gluten free.

My daughter was just diagnosed as having a 'gluten allergy' in the past few weeks. She's 2 years old. I have spent MUCH time the past several weeks learning all I can about gluten free cooking and baking, and have come a long way I'm happy to say! I can successfully make gluten free brownies, lemon squares, pumpkin loaf, and butter tart/pecan tart squares. I'm still plugging away on pizza crust, and other breads.
I've taken books out from the library, and one so far that I've found particularly helpful is "The First Year Celiac Disease and Living Gluten-Free" by Jules E. Dowler, Shepard.
I will quickly share here her recipe for Nearly Normal All Purpose Flour This is the only way I've been able to make anything at all taste good! Sadly, it's not doing it for breads for me...but I press on, and when I find something that works, I'll share!!

Here is her recipe.
Jules's Nearly Normal All-Purpose Flour Mix
1 part fine white rice flour
1 part potato starch (not potato flour)
1 part cornstarch
1/2 part fine corn flour
1/2 part tapioca starch
1 tsp xanthan gum per cup of flour mix

*I'll add here that I also add about 2 tsp. of Guar gum per 4 cups of mix. And I've also occasionally added 2-3 tsp of gluten free baking powder to the mix as well.

Jules' recommends measuring all ingredients into a gallon ziplock bag and mixing it all about in there....and I totally agree! No mess this way, and it's already in an airtight storage for you!

I highly suggest getting yourself a copy of this book whether it be from the library, or purchased!

I will be back tomorrow with my brownie recipe!
Please feel free to post any of your tried and true recipes for flours or finished baked goods right here in the comments section. I will be thrilled to try them, and also to copy them into a post giving you complete credit for the recipe!

Living gluten free can surely be tricky, but it isn't impossible to do.
I hope to find lots of inspiration here, and hope that you will too!

Thanks for stopping by!
Jillian