Cooking

Question: Is Baking Powder Gluten-Free?

Gluten-free baking recipes frequently call for “gluten-free” baking powder and some products are labeled “gluten-free.” Why is that? Learn what’s in baking powder and even make your own fresh gluten-free baking powder at home.

Answer:

No, not all brands of baking powder are gluten-free. Baking powder is made from baking soda, cream of tartar (a bi-product of wine production) and a “moisture absorption agent” which is usually, but not always cornstarch. Other starches including potato starch (gluten-free) and wheat starch (contains gluten) can be used in baking powder products.

Therefore, not all brands of baking powder are gluten-free. According to manufacturer information, the following baking powder brands are gluten-free. Most of these products are available at large and small grocery stores in the United States. Read More »

Is your kitchen a gathering place?

The kitchen is a natural place for people of all ages and backgrounds to share stories and flavors.

When transitioning to eating gluten-free, cooking and meeting in the kitchen will probably change.

It means double checking each addition to a dish or scrambling to make sure there is no cross-contamination. Read More »

Hello to everyone! I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you what I’ve learned about baking gluten-free quick breads, such as Pumpkin Cornbread Squares, after 10 challenging months of adapting wheat flour recipes and experimenting with gluten-free flours, starches, and gums.  Here are some of the questions I asked myself and the answers that I found.

Q: Why would I bake gluten-free when I can now buy a variety of gluten-free products at a grocery store?

A: You may enjoy baking and want to continue.  Or you may want to save money and not buy packaged foods.  Perhaps, you’re not happy with the quality or taste of what’s available.

Or perhaps you’re like me.  I’m not only gluten-sensitive (recently diagnosed), but also lactose-intolerant and on a forever diet to keep Type 2 diabetes at bay. The result is that Read More »

Who doesn’t love fall weather? The colors changing on the leaves, cooler weather (well, maybe we will be a couple degrees less than 100), the beginning of a new football season, the glorious Austin City Limits Music Festival, the list goes on. Some of the best tasting vegetables are also in season in the fall such as the mushrooms, oranges, lemons, cauliflower and fennel. All of the following vegetables have unique flavors and can be used in a variety of dishes. The top five are:

Mushrooms
Mushrooms are known for their immune boosting benefits in the nutrition world. They have been used for thousands of years in helping prevent cancer, boost the immune system and are also known as a great anti-aging food. There are several different types of mushrooms that are fabulous to cook with. Try grilling some beefy Portobello’s with Italian seasonings for a nice vegetarian meal this fall.

Oranges
The beloved orange; it’s one of the most popular fruits in North America. Known for the immune boosting vitamin C, oranges have many other health benefits. Oranges also have a good amount of Potassium (which helps with muscle contraction), fiber and vitamin A. Oranges are very versatile when it comes to cooking. Try this yummy recipe from celiac.com: Orange Chicken. Read More »

Gluten-Free Morning Glory Muffins
2010 © Teri Lee Gruss, licensed to About.com, Inc.

The original Morning Glory muffin recipe is said to have originated on Nantucket Island, the creation of Chef Pam McKinstry. I can’t think of a better gluten-free breakfast and snack muffin than Morning Glory muffins with well over a quart of healthy fruits, carrots and nuts added. And these fragrant cinnamon spiced muffins are gluten and dairy free.

This recipe is a gluten-free adaptation of “The Original Morning Glory Muffins” which appears in The Earthbound Farm Organics Cookbook – Food to Live By by Myra Goodman with Linda Holland and Pamela McKinstry.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients: Read More »

Karo Corn Syrup Photo: www.karosyrup.com

Karo corn syrup is gluten-free.  There was some confusion about Karo since it contains caramel coloring.  A few of my readers were concerned about the coloring and here is what the manufacturer of Karo Syrup has to say.

“All Karo Syrup products are free of gluten, soy, milk, egg, peanut and tree nuts. The syrup production facility does not contain ingredients with these allergens, so cross contamination is not an issue. While some caramel colorings Read More »

Fall is here and that means pumpkins are starting to appear on your neighbor’s door step and in grocery stores, which is the universal signal to start carving and cooking pumpkin. Why is it most of us tend to cook with pumpkin only around Halloween and Thanksgiving?  Pumpkin is loaded with vitamin A, fiber and it is low in calories, so we should find ways to work it into our diet throughout the year.

Pumpkin is very versatile to cook with, so it can be used in both sweet and savory recipes.  This Examiner did a little research for gluten-free pumpkin recipes and was amazed at all of the drool-worthy recipes we found.  Listed below are just a fraction of the gluten-free pumpkin recipes available online.

What is your favorite way to cook with pumpkin?

Pumpkin – General Recipes

• About.com has an extensive list of gluten-free pumpkin recipes
• Foodista has a list of 5 Savory Pumpkin Recipes and a list of 5 Must Try Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipe
• Gluten-free pumpkin recipes from The Gluten-Free Homemaker Read More »

I hadn’t realized it while planning this weeks’ posts, but there is an ongoing theme for many of the recipes this week.

fiber + healthy and happy digestion

I just love fiber, don’t you?

Abusing my body throughout my teenage and early adult years left me with a very broken digestive system.

After going through countless tests, x-rays, medications, hospital visits, acupuncture, massage therapists, and exercises I said enough is enough! And I made a promise to myself that I would Read More »

I love casseroles. They are quick, easy and versatile. They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner and offer an easy clean up.

What you will need:

EVOO (Extra virgin olive oil) for sautéing
½ bag frozen green beans (optional)
½ lb-1 lb ground turkey sausage
1 onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
12 eggs, beaten together Read More »

Here are a week’s worth of gluten-free school lunch recipes that add variety, kid-friendly flavors and nutrition to school lunchboxes. High protein sandwiches, pizza, warm comfort foods including convenient leftover entrees and veggie-rich soups and salads will keep even picky eaters and those with multiple food intolerances happy and healthy all through the school day.

Be sure to read Lunchbox and Lunch Bag Safety from Kevin Weeks, our About.com Guide to Culinary Arts.