Lindsay's Bread - an easy gluten free bread recipe

This is a great, moist, easy to make gluten free bread recipe (also soy/dairy/rice/corn free). It's a variation of Tom's Bread, which you may already be familiar with. I developed this variation for my daughter's lunches. It's a moister bread, for one. She didn't like dry bread. And, second, I didn't want to use the bean flour, nor did I prefer the brown rice flour. So, I tried sorghum flour, which I love for  baking. Please note this is a yeast bread, which I know is an issue for some of you out there. And, it has eggs. I've not tried making this without real eggs, but, I'll bet you could make this using flax egg alternatives. See my recipe for flax eggs to try it out. You'll also note that I use a flax egg in this recipe along with real eggs. 

So, here's how to make this gluten free bread recipe. I hope you enjoy Lindsay's Bread (when she was very young, she called it Salami Bread -- it was the bread we used for her lunch sandwiches).

Lindsay's Bread - Gluten Free Bread Recipe

- 1 cup sorghum flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
- 1/2 cup potato starch (potato starch is key here -- it adds to the moist texture)
- 1 1/2 cups tapioca starch/flour
- 3 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
- 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 3 tbs. sugar (or alternative)
- 1/4 tsp. creme of tartar
- 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 flax egg (I use golden flax seeds, ground fine -- you can do this in your coffee grinder, or buy it ground. See directions below)
- 1 1/3 cup warm water
- 3 tbs. oil (I use olive oil)
- 2 1/4 tsp. yeast (I use Red Star)

Make the flax egg -- mix 1 tbsp ground flax with 3 tbsp water. Heat in microwave for 30 secs. Let sit for at least 5 mins.

Meanwhile, mix all other dry ingredients, including yeast. Using potato starch makes a world of difference. I've tried this using corn starch, but it's just not as moist. So, if you cannot use potato, I'd suggest adding more water to the recipe or cutting back on the starches.

Then, mix all the wet ingredients, including flax egg, in another bowl.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Scrape sides to get it all mixed in.

Grease a bread loaf pan -- I use Spectrum organic shortening. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until it doubles in size -- about 40-50 mins.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 40-45 mins until toothpick comes out clean. This rises! So, if too tall, consider cutting off the top. And, next time, don't let it rise so long. Let it sit 5 mins. Then put onto wire rack to cool. It will sort off deflate slightly. It's OK.

Once cooled, slice and eat. This is a great gluten free bread recipe to use for a daily, all purpose bread at home. Enjoy.

Shopping list:

Bob's Red Mill Sorghum Flour

Potato Starch

Tapioca Starch

Xanthan Gum

Flax seeds

Try this gluten free vegetable recipe - Spicy Spinach!

Getting my kids to eat fruits and vegetables is a real chore. I know that many PDD/ADHD kids are fussy with food and it's extremely difficult getting them to try new things - not to mention the challenge of finding allergy friendly vegetable options. So, having a winning gluten free vegetable recipe is a huge deal. 

I've had a little success in this area, mostly by setting clear rewards for their attempts at trying new things. I mostly don't make a big deal out of the new food and I hardly ever call it -- at first -- by its real name. I'll provide this example, since it leads to the very easy gluten free vegetable recipe that follows. One night recently, I served dinner to my kids, burgers and potatoes, and then I sat down with the same food plus a small pile of cooked spinach. My oldest quickly asked, what is that? Without missing a beat, I said, It's spicy spinach. I kept eating. A minute later, she said, Can I try some? I gave her a small bite from my fork. She asked for more. Then, I asked if she wanted some on her plate. She did. Bingo!  

I know, this approach doesn't always work. But, it does sometimes. And, I've learned to use what's given to me as an advantage. My kids love spicy food. So, I make a lot of spicy things. 

And so, here is my quick recipe for spicy spinach - a tasty gluten free vegetable recipe. And, it'd be very easy to modify to your individual taste.

Ingredients

• 1 bag of fresh spinach (8 oz bag) 
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper 
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning or oregano
• 1 tsp oil (I use olive oil)

Wash the spinach and let dry or pat dry. Heat a tsp of oil in pan over low heat.

Mix the dry spices in a small bowl. 

Add the spinach to the pan and let it heat for a couple of minutes. Then, add the spice mix over top and gently stir to mix the seasoning into the leaves. 

Let this cook to your desired texture preference. Then, spoon into a serving bowl and eat!

Very simple. Very tasty. Very healthy. 

Another Gluten Free Pizza Sauce Recipe

I found this simple pizza sauce recipe on the web many years ago and I've been using it ever since on my homemade gluten free pizza  - and if you've not seen my homemade gluten free pizza crust recipe, check it out here. This is my go-to gluten free pizza sauce recipe.

Of course, I tinkered with the recipe a bit to get the right taste, texture and "spreadability." But, what I really love about this recipe is that it's so quick, so easy to make and works. I've not found another gluten free pizza sauce recipe that I like better.

And, I can make it quickly while my crust is baking in the oven. It literally takes about five minutes to make. Finally, and as you'll see, it's easily adaptable. Don't like garlic, skip it and use onion powder instead. Prefer basil or rosemary, add it. You decide!

Ingredients:

6-ounce can tomato paste (I use Hunt's)

2 tbsps oil (I use olive oil)
½ cup water
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp sugar (you could sub any sweetener)
1 tspn sea salt
¼ tspn pepper
½ tspn vinegar (I use Heinz)

Directions:

In a stove top pot, add the tomato paste, olive oil and water over a low heat. Stir slowly to combine the ingredients and until the paste liquifies and blends into the mix. 

Add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined.

Continue on the stove until thoroughly heated, but not boiling.

Let sit for a few minutes while your crust is baking. Spoon or ladle onto your crust and enjoy this wonderful gluten free pizza sauce recipe.

Got dairy free milk?

People with dairy allergies or following a casein-free diet, like many autistic children, can't drink cow's milk. But there are dairy free milk alternatives and the variety of options continues to grow. Many people drink soy milk or almond milk. You can easily find these, even at regular supermarkets. Or, order online via Amazon and have a case shipped to your door.

However, soy and nuts also are common allergens, meaning many food allergy sufferers cannot turn to these options. Don't worry, there are other dairy free milk options.

A good one is rice milk, which also are commonly found on store shelves. People intolerant of gluten should know that Imagine Foods' Rice Dream is made using a process that exposes it to gluten. Some people do not react to this, while others say they do.

Another option is Darifree. This is potato-based -- no soy, no rice, no gluten. It's harder to find and comes in a powder. You can order it at the company's website. My younger daughter cannot have rice, so I have used Darifree in recipes.

You'll also find a number of other dairy free milk options, including coconut milk, hemp milk and even sunflower seed milk. You'll even find options such as almond milk and coconut milk at discounted prices in stores like Aldi's, which helps save a few bucks if you're following a special food plan.

Is there gluten in oats?

This question - is there gluten in oats - is very common among people trying to follow a gluten free diet. It can be confusing since oats are a gluten-free grain, but many oatmeal products sold in stores are not labeled as gluten free. There's a reason.

The problem with oats is that they can easily be mixed, or come into contact, with gluten grains, like wheat. And if that happens, then the oat product you're buying would not be gluten free. 

So, this essentially boils down to companies that are willing to ensure the oats they buy and sell remain gluten free - or that steps are taken to eliminate any cross contamination.

This is why that question - is there gluten in oats - is sometimes tricky to answer.

The good news is that there are companies doing this and you can find gluten free oatmeal on store shelves. So, oatmeal can be gluten free. You just need to be aware of the product your buying, read the labels and look for a brand you trust.

I'm not personally endorsing any products here, nor is this a product review, but I want to point out that there are affiliate links in this post, which means I may receive a small commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Please know that I only promote by name and link products that I've personally tried and endorse. I never promote any product that I personally would not feed to my family or endorse to friends. The compensation received is used to support the blog.

To give you a sense of what's out there, I've listed a few examples below. You can also find a wide range of gluten free oatmeals available online through Amazon or through The Gluten Free Mall.

• Quaker Gluten Free Oats: In the familiar cylindrical container, Quaker offers a quick-cooking gluten free oatmeal.
  
• Quaker Instant Gluten Free Oatmeal: If you prefer the instant oatmeal packets, Quaker offers this as well in a variety of flavors.

• 
• Bob's Red Mill Old Fashioned Gluten Free Rolled Oats: You'll find Bob's in stores that offer
organic foods and in store aisles featuring gluten-free products. This is pricier, but respected.
• Live G Free Gluten Free Quick Cook Oats: Lower cost options? Yes, if you have an Aldi's near you, look for gluten free oatmeal there under the
  Live G Free brand.

Like many gluten free products, the variety and pricing for gluten free oatmeal has greatly improved. If you like oatmeal, you should find one of these options near you or order online. I hope this post has helped you better understand the question - is there gluten in oats?