Gluten-Free Cooking
Try these recipes for cakes, breads, pies and more
Of all the digestive health troubles, gluten intolerance can be one of the most challenging. Its uncomfortable symptoms are triggered by a protein found in widely used grains, including wheat, barley, rye and oats. This makes most breads, cakes, cookies, cereals and crusts completely off-limits. What’s more, gluten can be hiding everywhere: in processed cheese spreads, ice cream, flavored teas and soft drinks, burgers, sausages, soups and sauces — even the coating of frozen french fries.
The good news is that there are many excellent gluten-free products on the market now, and the list seems to be growing constantly. But while cooking from scratch isn’t always practical, it is still the best way to ensure wholesome, gluten-free ingredients. With a few pantry essentials such as rice, buckwheat and potato flour, you won’t have to cut out all of your favorite comfort foods. Following are some recipes to get started.
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10 Superfoods For Health
Nutritional powerhouses that taste great too
Avocados
Put them in brownies. Seriously. "The natural creaminess of avocado makes it a great substitute for creamy, saturated milk fat such as butter and cream," says Lieberman, "which is why you can make delicious brownies, smoothies and other desserts with avocado as the main source of fat."
Though avocados contain more fat than almost any other fruit, it's virtually all monounsaturated fat whose many benefits include raising good cholesterol, lowering bad cholesterol and preventing heart disease. And if that weren't enough, it's high in fiber, low in calories, and even higher than bananas in the blood-pressure-reducing mineral potassium.
Beets
If you ate canned beets as a kid and think you hate them, try them again. They are "nature's multivitamin," according to Lieberman and O'Connor, who say the beet contains a greater range of nutrients ounce for ounce "than virtually any other fruit or vegetable on the planet." The antioxidants that turn beets deep red also fight off free radicals that attack the body's cells and can lead to aging and disease including cancer. Compounds in beets also have been shown to lower blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk, and to help cleanse the body of harmful chemicals in processed foods, such as nitrates. "Beets are surprisingly versatile," Lieberman says. "They can be eaten raw or cooked and are delicious cold and hot."
Berries
Forget those fancy exotic berries like the Acai from the Brazilian rain forest. North America's berries are just as laden with antioxidants, more economical, and versatile and tasty to boot. Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries make their "all-star team of superfruits." Each should be added equally to a diet to reap their individual benefits: strawberries for potassium, raspberries for vitamin C, blueberries for fiber and blackberries for vitamin E and more. "It's not hard to come up with crowd-pleasing recipes with berries," Lieberman says. "But making both sweet and savory dishes with berries was an adventure for me, and it turned out great."
Cabbage
In the super-healthy family of cruciferous vegetables that includes broccoli and cauliflower, cabbage is a standout. Scientists have identified compounds in cabbage that reduce the risk of cancers — including breast, stomach, lung and prostate cancer — as well as heart disease, gastrointestinal problems and Alzheimer's disease. Cabbage is also a rich source of vitamins A, C and K, which protects joints and can lower the risk of osteoarthritis. Lieberman contends that "probably the biggest misconception about cabbage is that it needs to be cooked forever. That's not true at all. It's fantastic raw, and even with very brief cooking times in quick curries and stews."
Fish
The 10 Things categorizes "Super Fish" as those low in contaminants and high in the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil — chief among them, salmon, Arctic char, halibut and rainbow trout. Studies show that regularly consuming such fish can help lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation; and that the fish oil in them provides a brain-nourishing compound that can slow the mental decline associated with aging. Lieberman said cooks increasingly can find "lots of simple, quick fish recipes that take the worry and stress out of cooking fish," such as his recipe for Roasted Salmon over French Lentils, Tomatoes, and Fennel, which includes not just one but three of his 10 superfoods.
Lentils
Learn to like 'em. As nutritionists increasingly warn of the health risks of consuming too much red meat, lentils are a near-perfect substitute: When mixed with rice or another grain, these little legumes form a complete protein with all the amino acids the body needs. Lentils have no cholesterol, virtually no fat, and high proportions of soluble and insoluble fibers that help manage blood sugar, lower cholesterol and aid digestion. They're also packed with vitamins and minerals, including iron. "Lentils are so good for you, they're worth keeping around all the time," Lieberman says. "A good tip for doing that is to make a big batch and slightly undercook the lentils, refrigerate them once they're cool, and then use them as needed in your recipes for everything from salads to stews."
Nuts
Forget the "food fallacies" of nuts being fattening snack food, say O'Connor and Lieberman: Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts and peanuts (technically a legume) actually are full of heart-healthy fats that boost "good" cholesterol. They cite findings that adding a few servings of nuts a week dramatically reduces people's risk of cardiovascular disease — and other studies that found regular nut consumption actually made people less likely to gain weight. In researching nut recipes, says Lieberman, "My biggest Eureka Moment came with making a cream sauce out of cashews. It was truly a revelation — eating is believing!"
Quinoa
Many Americans never have heard of this grain (pronounced keen-wah). But according to NASA scientists tasked with feeding astronauts in space, quinoa comes as close to supplying "all the essential life-sustaining nutrients … as any (food) in the plant or animal kingdom." Quinoa is very high in fiber, protein and minerals, and very low in calories and in fat. Studies have shown eating a daily bowl can lower rates of obesity, breast cancer, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. "Quinoa has become a staple in my house since writing this cookbook — I love it more than ever," Lieberman says. He incorporates it in a wide range of recipes, including Linguine and Quinoa Meatballs with Tangy Tomato Sauce.
Spinach
It's "kryptonite to cancer cells," the authors say. Spinach contains so many anti-oxidants "that in some ways it's the equivalent of two or three servings of vegetables in one." Besides scoring high in the USDA measure of food's ability to rid the body of free radicals, spinach is packed with other nutrients including calcium, vitamins A and K, and omega-3 fatty acids. "I try to eat spinach every day," Lieberman says. "This is actually possible because spinach is so quick and easy to cook. I'm talking five minutes or under in lots of recipes."
Tomatoes
Over the past decade, such authorities as the Harvard School of Public Health and the International Journal of Cancer have noted that regular consumption of tomato products can reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, thanks to tomatoes' powerhouse combination of vitamins and phytonutrients such as lycopene. Because cooking actually enhances tomatoes' health-promoting properties by making nutrients more easily absorbed, Lieberman considers canned tomatoes "a good alternative to fresh; quick, easy and inexpensive. The news about cooked tomatoes actually being healthier opened the field wide open for me to a great range of recipes, from pizza to tomato-based stews."
Eat to Beat Diabetes
1 in 4 of us over 65 will get the disease — use diet to prevent it
Long before the U.S. government replaced its pyramid-shaped nutrition chart with a round one, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) was using a plate to teach prevention and management of that disease.
Although diabetes today affects roughly 1 in 12 Americans — and more than 1 in 4 Americans age 65 and over — there is good news on that ADA plate, says diabetes educator Sue McLaughlin. By combining ADA's carefully balanced diet with regular exercise and weight control, people who have diabetes can prolong good health, says McLaughlin. "And those who don't have the disease but are at increased risk for its development may delay or prevent its onset."
When the human body processes food, it breaks down sugars and starches into glucose — but to take the glucose from the blood into the cells that use it as fuel, the body needs a hormone called insulin. If insulin is scarce or absent, glucose builds up in the blood and can lead to complications including heart disease and stroke, kidney and nervous system disease, and blindness. In Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, the body either does not produce enough insulin, does not use it well, or both.
To help their bodies use glucose, people with Type 2 diabetes may use oral medications or insulin injections. "But anyone can, so to speak, 'out-eat' their diabetes medication" by consuming too much food or too many calories, McLaughlin says. So diet is critical to achieving the balance that keeps diabetics healthy, and to preventing progression of the disease for the estimated 79 million Americans with prediabetes(blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes).
"What's good for people at risk for diabetes, or who have diabetes, is generally what's good for all of us," McLaughlin says. "It's eating foods that are nutrient-dense, high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. It's eating those that are lower in fat and overall calories, and monitoring our intake of carbohydrate-containing foods that directly cause the blood sugar to rise. It's balancing 'calories in, calories out' by eating with good health in mind, and getting regular exercise so you maintain a good weight, ideally a body mass index of 25 or less." (Don't know your BMI? Use the Body Mass Index Calculator to calculate it.)
The ADA's "create your plate" campaign uses a 9-inch plate to manage portion size and nutritional balance in five steps:
- Imagine a line down the middle of the plate, cutting it in half. Fill one half of the plate with non-starchy vegetables: salad, green beans, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli.
- Imagine a second line cutting the other half of the plate into two equal parts. Fill one of those parts with starchy foods: noodles, rice, corn, potatoes, beans, whole-grain bread.
- Fill the remaining quarter of the plate with meat or meat substitute: lean beef or pork, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, low-fat cheese, tofu.
- Add one piece of fruit (or a ½-cup serving of fresh, frozen or canned-in-juice fruit).
- Add an 8-ounce glass of non-fat or low-fat milk (or, if you don't want milk, another small serving of a carbohydrate such as a 6-ounce container of low-fat yogurt or a small roll).
(For breakfast, the plate is divided the same way but filled somewhat differently: starches in half the plate, fruit in one quarter of it and meat/meat substitute in the other quarter.)
Eat to Beat Diabetes
1 in 4 of us over 65 will get the disease — use diet to prevent it
In each part of the plate, specific food choices will depend on an individual's primary health concern, McLaughlin says. "If I'm a person with Type 2 diabetes, or at risk for Type 2, my primary focus might be on reducing my intake of total calories and saturated fats because fat contributes more calories to the diet than either carbohydrate or protein. For most of us, as long as our intake includes nutrient-dense choices a majority of the time, small amounts of foods that contain a bit more sugar or fat can also be included.
Upon learning they have or are at risk for diabetes, people generally "try to make dietary and other lifestyle changes, but they can get overwhelmed with all the things they have been advised to do," McLaughlin says. In that situation, she advises turning to old stand-bys: the family slow-cooker, and familiar recipes. Loading a slow-cooker with recipe ingredients in roughly the same proportions as on the ADA plate — light on the starch and protein, heavy on the veggies — "is a great way to come home and know you'll have a healthful meal ready when you're hungry or need to eat," McLaughlin says. "And while lots of people still use church cookbooks or old family recipes with ingredients that should be limited, in most of them, there are simple ways to reduce the calories and fat and increase the fiber," she says. "Things like using an artificial sweetener in place of all or part of the sugar; using egg whites instead of whole eggs, and using whole-wheat flour to replace half the white flour." One of McLaughlin's favorite cookbooks — Diabetes Meals on $7 a Day — or Less!, published by the ADA — has the dual benefits of helping diners keep calories in line and live on a budget. (McLaughlin especially recommends the "Eating Out on a Lean Budget" tips on page 67, and the Crunchy Oriental Coleslaw recipe on page 104.)
In McLaughlin's view, "the tough part for any of us, no matter our family or ethnic or cultural background, is that we come to the table with things we've been brought up on and lived with all our lives." But changing eating and physical activity patterns can be key, she says, "to preventing or delaying Type 2 diabetes. It's important to know what we can do to help ourselves maintain good health for a lifetime."
GLUTE FREE BAKING
Almond and Orange Cake
Cookstr
This cake does not need flour or butter, so it's great for people on restricted diets.
Yield: Makes 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 7 oz (200g) carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice, or orange- or almond-flavored liqueur
- 4 large eggs, separated
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- Grated zest of 1 orange
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1¼ cup almond flour (almond meal)
- Confectioners sugar, for sifting (optional)
Special equipment:
- 8 in (20cm) round cake pan
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Butter an 8in (20cm) round cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
2. Cook the carrots in a little water about 15 minutes, or until very tender. Drain and purèe with the orange juice; you should have ½ cup of purèe.
3. Beat the egg yolks, vanilla, and orange zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed. Gradually add the sugar, mixing until it becomes very thick. Stir in the carrot purèe and almond flour.
4. In a clean, dry bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the batter. Spread in the pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto the rack, peel off the paper, and cool completely. Sift confectioner's sugar over the top before serving, if desired.
Notes
Good with fresh fruit such as raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries and a spoonful of thick yogurt or whipped cream.
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Red Velvet Cake
Cookstr
I still remember the first time I ever heard of red velvet cake. Of course, it was in the movie Steel Magnolias, in the form of that infamously repulsive armadillo cake. However, the first time I tasted it was a totally different story. I loved it and wondered why its popularity hadn’t spread above the Mason-Dixon Line. Now it has, so I felt this book wouldn’t be complete without an allergen-free version of it.
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup gluten-free vanilla rice milk
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 2½ cups Betsy’s Baking Mix
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup organic palm fruit oil shortening
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ounce red food coloring
- ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 recipe Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with canola oil, line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the parchment paper.
In a small bowl, make “buttermilk” by combining the rice milk and cider vinegar. In a large mixing bowl, combine the baking mix, salt, and xanthan gum.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and shortening. Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl, mix the cocoa powder and red food coloring to form a paste; set the paste aside. Add the applesauce and vanilla to the creamed shortening and sugar and blend until the mixture is light and creamy. Add the cocoa paste and mix well.
Alternately add the dry ingredients and the “buttermilk” mixture to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Pour the white vinegar into a small cup and sprinkle the baking soda over it, Immediately pour the fizzing combination into the cake batter and thoroughly combine the two mixtures.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake the cakes for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool completely in their pans on a cooling rack, Turn the cakes out of their pans and remove the parchment paper. Frost the top of each cake layer with the frosting, Transfer 1 layer to a serving plate, and then set the other layer on top, Frost the sides of the cake.
Store the frosted cake, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
© 2010 Elizabeth Gordon
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Nutrients per serving
Nutritional information does not include Betsys Baking Mix or Vanilla Buttercream Frosting. For nutritional information on Betsys Baking Mix and Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, please follow the links above. This recipe serves 10.
226 kcal
3 % daily value
5 % daily value
0 % daily value
58 mg
10 mg
1 g
32 g
1 g
33 g
0 mg
369 mg
1 g
11 g
2 % daily value
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Banana Bread
Cookstr
Soft, speckled bananas are best for this recipe. The mixture also makes adorable little mini-muffins if you cook them in individual cases - great for children’s lunch boxes. Big kids like them too!
Yield: Makes 1 2lb loaf
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup (1½ oz) cherries
- ½ cup (3oz) golden raisins
- 1 stick (4oz) butter, softened
- ½ cup (4oz) superfine sugar
- 2 large eggs, preferably free range
- 3 large ripe bananas
- 1¼ cups (6oz) fine rice flour
- 5 tablespoons (2oz) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Equipment:
- 2lb loaf pan, lined with parchment paper, or 24 small paper muffing cases
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Wash and dry the cherries. Cut into quarters and mix with the golden raisins. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale, light, and soft. Add the eggs, one by one, and beat well between each addition.
Mash the bananas and add to the creamed mixture. Sift the rice flour, cornstarch, gluten-free baking powder, and salt together and fold carefully into the banana mixture. Very gently, stir in the cherries and golden raisins, so that they are evenly distributed through the mixture.
Pour the mixture into the loaf pan or into 24 small muffin cases and bake in the oven for about 1¼-1½ hours for the loaf, 25 minutes for the mini-muffins, until golden on top and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the loaf from the tin and cool on a wire rack; cool mini-muffins on a rack in their paper cases. Slice the loaf into 8 slices to serve.
Notes
© 2005 Darina Allen Kearney and Rosemary Kearney
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Nutrients per serving
This recipe serves 24.
117 kcal
3 % daily value
3 % daily value
1 % daily value
105 mg
11 mg
1 g
8 g
1 g
19 g
28 mg
96 mg
3 g
4 g
2 % daily value
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Rosemary’s Savory Pastry
Cookstr
Gluten-free flours are a little harder to work with, but worth mastering. Keep the dough dry; although slightly more difficult to handle, it gives a crisper, “shorter” crust for quiches and pies.
Yield: Makes 15 oz
INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup (3oz) rice flour
- ¾ cup (3oz) fine cornmeal (polenta)
- ¾ cup (3oz) potato flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 heaped teaspoon xanthan gum
- Pinch of salt
- 1¼ sticks (5 oz) butter
- 1 egg, preferably free range, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
Directions
Sift the rice flour, fine cornmeal, potato flour, xanthan gum, and salt into a bowl and mix well. Cut the butter into cubes and gently rub into the flour mixture. Make a well in the center and carefully add some of the egg and water mixture—just enough to bring the pastry together using a fork. Collect the pastry into a ball with your hands. This way you can judge more accurately whether you need a few more drops of liquid. It is tempting to add extra liquid at this stage but try not to, as it is very easy to make the pastry too wet. It is fine to have some liquid left over. Although rather damp pastry is easier to handle and roll out, the resulting crust can be tough and may well shrink out of shape in the oven.
On a very lightly rice floured-board, gently knead the dough with the heel of your hand for a few minutes to form a silky-smooth ball. Flatten slightly, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This will make the pastry much less elastic and easier to roll.
When it has chilled enough, roll it out (between 2 sheets of parchment paper, if necessary, to stop it sticking) and use as required.
© 2005 Darina Allen Kearney and Rosemary Kearney
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Nutrients per serving
Nutritional information is based on the entire recipe.
2269 kcal
16 % daily value
8 % daily value
35 % daily value
1663 mg
218 mg
31 g
6 g
18 g
256 g
515 mg
446 mg
76 g
127 g
31 % daily value
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Rosemary’s Sweet Pastry
Cookstr
Gluten-free flours are a little harder to work with, but well worth mastering. Keep the dough dry; although slightly more difficult to handle, it gives a crisper, “shorter” crust for your tarts and pies.
Yield: Makes 15oz
INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup (3oz) rice flour
- 2/3 cup (3oz) fine cornmeal (polenta)
- ¾ cup (3oz) potato flour
- 1 heaped teaspoon xanthan gum
- Pinch of salt
- 1¼ sticks butter
- ¼ cup (2oz) superfine sugar
- 1 egg, preferably free range, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
Directions
Sift the rice flour, fine cornmeal, potato flour, xanthan gum, and salt into a bowl and mix well. Cut the butter into cubes and gently rub into the flour mixture. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the center and carefully add some of the egg and water mixture—just enough to bring the pastry together using a fork. Collect the pastry into a ball with your hands. This way you can judge more accurately whether you need a few more drops of liquid. It is tempting to add extra liquid at this stage but try not to, as it is very easy to make the pastry too wet. It is fine to have some liquid left over. Although rather damp pastry is easier to handle and roll out, the resulting crust can be tough and may well shrink out of shape in the oven.
On a very lightly rice floured board, gently knead the dough with the heel of your hand for a few minutes to form a silky smooth ball. Flatten slightly, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This will make the pastry much less elastic and easier to roll.
When it has chilled enough, roll it out (between 2 sheets of parchment paper, if necessary, to stop it sticking) and use as required.
© 2005 Darina Allen Kearney and Rosemary Kearney
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Nutrients per serving
Nutritional information is based on 8 servings.
315 kcal
2 % daily value
1 % daily value
4 % daily value
214 mg
29 mg
4 g
7 g
2 g
40 g
64 mg
56 mg
9 g
16 g
4 % daily value
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Pizza Base
Cookstr
There’ll be no stopping you once you’ve made your first gluten-free pizza dough. Pizza is universally appealing, a quick and easy lunch or supper dish, for which you can endlessly vary the toppings.
Yield: Makes 4 pizzas
INGREDIENTS
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup (8 fl oz) lukewarm water
- ½ oz dried active yeast
- 1¼ cups (60g) rice flour, plus extra for dusting
- ¾ cup (3oz) potato flour
- ½ cup (2oz) tapioca flour
- 3 tablespoons (1oz) dried milk
- 1½ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 egg, preferably free range
Directions
Dissolve the sugar in ¼ pint of the lukewarm water in a small bowl and stir in the dried yeast. Sit the bowl for a few minutes in a warm place to allow the yeast to start to work. After about 4-5 minutes it will have a creamy, slightly frothy appearance. Place the rice flour, potato flour, tapioca flour, dried milk, gluten-free baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt into the bowl of a food mixer. Using the paddle attachment, thoroughly mix the dry ingredients together. In a small bowl, whisk together the sunflower oil and egg and stir into the dry ingredients on a low speed.
When the yeast mixture is ready, stir and pour with the remaining lukewarm water into the mixer bowl. Using the K-blade attachment on a low speed, mix the liquid through the contents of the bowl. Continue to mix for 3-4 minutes, until a smooth dough is produced.
Transfer the dough to a rice-floured work surface. The dough will be slightly sticky, so it helps if you put a little rice flour on your hands too. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, each weighing about 5 oz. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Transfer 1 piece of the dough to the baking sheet and, using the “heel” of your hand, flatten it to form a circle measuring 8in in diameter. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.
Cover the dough circles.with a clean dish towel and allow them to rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes before removing and adding the toppings of your choice. Return the pizzas, with the toppings to the oven and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until the bases are crisp and the toppings are bubbly and golden.
Serve immediately.
© 2005 Darina Allen Kearney and Rosemary Kearney
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Nutrients per serving
Nutritional information is based on 4 servings.
430 kcal
21 % daily value
3 % daily value
1 % daily value
492 mg
48 mg
10 g
5 g
4 g
85 g
54 mg
832 mg
1 g
6 g
6 % daily value
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