The question + answer format seemed to go over well last time, so I’ll stick with that method again. 

[photos that follow are all from previous posts]

*Please note, I am not a doctor, or medical professional.  The information below has been gathered through my own research.  You should always consult your doctor before changing your diet in any way.*

1.  What are your favorite gluten free products?

I actually don’t buy many products labeled “gluten free.”  A lot of gluten free products are highly processed, full of unidentifiable ingredients, and lacking in the nutrition department.  They’re also expensive!  Gluten free bread is rarely on my shopping list, unless it’s on sale or I have a coupon.  When I do have GF bread, I keep it in the freezer and eat it only occasionally.  So, with that, here are some of the GF products I do buy.

• West Soy “original” Tempeh
  • West Soy is my favorite tempeh brand, by far.  It’s not certified gluten free, but contains no gluten.  *FYI – Their 5-grain variety does contain gluten.
• Food For Life – brown rice torillas
  • At first, I honestly thought these were pretty terrible, but then they grew on me.  I love them!  They’re not my favorite thing cold out of the fridge, because they are quite tough.  However, lightly toast them under the broiler on each side and they become deliciously flakey!  I love filling them with cheesy eggs or a combo of flax meal/cottage cheese/jelly/banana [<-good i swear].  The trick is to lightly brown them so you can still roll them up.  You can also brown them in a heated pan
• Udi’s Millet Chia Bread + Whole Grain Hamburger Buns
  • In my opinion, Udi’s make the best gluten free bread out there.  It’s also the most nutrient dense you will find.  Most GF breads only contain 1-2 grams of protein + fiber, but Udi’s is more in the 3g range.  The texture is great of both the bread + buns.  You can get a $1 off coupon if you sign up on their site.
• Food For Life – Millet Bread
  • A unique texture and very dense, this bread is pretty delicious.  Great as toast!
• Udi’s Bagels
  • Whole Grain [photo below] – Again they nailed it with texture, flavor + nutrition.  They only complaint is that they are slightly dry, but are still very bagel-like.  My favorite is toasting + topping them with PB+J, or making an egg sandwich.
• Nature’s Path 
  • This is my favorite cereal brand, which also includes the line of EnviroKidz cereal.  Love the peanut butter panda puffs!!  While I’ve probably only bought 3 boxes of cereal since January, there are some great GF options out there.  Now I just make my own, which is much cheaper and it never goes stale.  
• Pure Bars + Raw Revolution
  • These are my favorite, in a pinch bars, to eat on the go.  If I know a busy week is coming, I try to buy the ingredients to make them instead.  It’s a ridiculous savings + doesn’t take much time at all.
• Garden of Life – Raw Protein 
  • After testing a LOT of protein powders, this is my very favorite.  It tastes similar to when you add oats to a smoothie.  I don’t find it to be nearly as chalky as most other powders I’ve tried.  It’s a blend of all raw, sprouted grains, vegetables, and seeds.  There are no added sweeteners, or even fake sweeteners, and no weird flavors.  To me, this protein powder is REAL food.  I do also love hemp protein, but it’s not so nice to my stomach.
• Noodles/Pasta
  • Lundberg Pasta – Probably the best texture of the GF pastas.  I like the penne noodles the best.
  • Annie Chun’s Brown Rice Noodles – Super thin + great texture.  Perfect for stir fries!
  • DeBoles Lasagna Noodles – These are the only lasagna noodles I’ve tried, but you couldn’t tell anything was different about them when they were cooked and layered with lasagna ingredients.
  • Tinkyada Fettuccini Noodles – Great texture!  Just make sure to test them along the way while cooking.  They didn’t take nearly as long as the package directions state.  Also, run them through cold water immediately after cooking to help prevent them from sticking together + becoming gummy.  I just noticed this brand has giant shells, which I am really excited about.  I love ricotta stuffed shells!

2.  What are your favorite gluten free flours?

My goal in baking gluten free, is to try and use the least amount of flours as possible and keep out gums + starches.  I don’t necessarily think there is anything wrong with using them though.  I know they are very popular and result in perfectly textured baked goods.  However, I want to keep things as simple as possible, using ingredients that non-GF’ers would want to have on hand as well.  It also helps to keep things a bit more affordable.

*If you have a severe gluten/wheat allergy or have been diagnosed with Celiac, please consult with your doctor for a list of all approved ingredients you can eat.  Make sure to look for “certified gluten free” flours and grains when shopping and realize even bulk bins can be contaminated.

• raw buckwheat flour
  • Made from raw buckwheat groats and ground in a blender or spice grinder until powdery.  A hearty flour, that seems to hold together decently well.  Buckwheat flour has a slight earthy, nutty flavor.
• raw oat flour
  • Made from raw oat groats [or steel cut oats, which you can find certified gluten free] and ground in a blender or spice grinder until powdery.  A slightly sweet, nutty flour, it’s fairly light in texture and doesn’t seem to fall apart when used in baking.  You can also make this from regular rolled oats, with very similar results!
• almond meal
  • Extremely light + fluffy, this does amazing things in baked goods.  I just started experimenting with almond meal in my zucchini breads and cannot wait to start using it more.  The fat content is obviously high, because it is literally, ground almonds.  This is different than almond flour, which uses blanched almonds and is even lighter in texture.  You can find almond meal at Trader Joes or online at Natural Grocers [$3.75/1lb].  [Bob’s Red Mill sells it, but it is quite expensive ~10].  How to Make Almond Meal.  Almond meal keeps baked goods incredibly moist and cake-like.  The trick with almond meal is not using too much, or it will result in your baked good falling apart.  It has no holding power at all. 
• millet flour
  • Great for hearty breads + bakes, this flour also seems to hold together decently well.  It has a light, almost corn-like flavor.  You can also grind this fresh, in your blender until powdery.
• masa harina
  • Golden corn flour that has been soaked in lime juice, before grinding.  Definitely my favorite tasting flour, but not the most versatile for baking.  It’s very corn-like in flavor, so you wouldn’t want to use this for things like banana bread, zucchini bread, muffins, etc.  However, it’s great for making corn tortillas, cornbread bakes, and tamales. 
• coconut flour
  • Most often, you’ll see me using this for my donut recipes, or a gluten free pancake recipe.  I haven’t played around with it too much, but I know it has absolutely no binding power at all.  If you’re going to use coconut flour, you will need a lot of eggs!  You also want to be careful with this flour, because it is extremely high in fiber.  It’s also quite expensive, but I’ve been nursing a bag from Natural Grocers for months.  They make a lot of different flours and sell them affordably.  Coconut flour is probably the most expensive flour I’ve seen.  [about $7/2lbs, whereas Bob’s Red Mill costs about $7/1lb]  I think coconut flour is best used as a small addition to gluten free baked goods. 
• rice flour
  • I have only experimented with sweet rice flour, and love the lightness it brings to baked goods.  I also use this sparingly, as it doesn’t have much holding power. 

[buckwheat millet pizza crust]

3.  Which gluten free blogs/websites do you visit the most for ideas + inspiration? [note: these website do not all contain solely GF recipes]

• Elana – Elana’s Pantry
• Michelle + Lori – Pure 2 Raw
• Sarah – My New Roots
• Caitlin – Roost
• Kristin – Cook Bake Nibble
• Shauna – Gluten Free Girl and the Chef
• Cinnamon Quill 
• Chelsey – Clean Eating Chelsey
• Google – If I have a question, I Google it.

[lemon basil + grilled corn pasta]

4.  What are your favorite GF grains/seeds?

• rolled oats, Scottish oats, steel cut oats
• These are my favorite breakfast grains.  You can find rolled oats “certified gluten free” as well as steel cut oats.  I’ve seen a few different brands, but the most common is Bob’s Red Mill.  I also love oat bran, but like regular rolled oats, you have to assume it’s been cross contaminated with trace amounts of gluten.  I did just find this brand online, selling GF oat bran. 
• millet
  • This grain is cheap, cheap, cheap and very similar to quinoa in nutritional value.  I love how light + fluffy it is after cooking.  It’s a great dinner side or even made into a breakfast parfait.  I buy my millet at Natural Grocers, and you can too!.  It costs $1.63 for TWO pounds.  Quinoa is typically $3-4/lb.
• quinoa
  • We still love quinoa over here, but are on more of a millet kick these days.  Millet keeps me feeling full, longer and is ridiculously cheaper. 
• short grain brown rice
  • Making creamy coconut brown rice is my favorite.
• raw buckwheat
  • Buckwheat bakes.  Duh.
• popcorn
  • So much tastier than the microwave bags, healthier, and cheaper!
• amaranth
  • I do not like this as a cooked grain at all.  I only like it in puffed form for cereal.  The cooked grain is quite gummy and extremely earthy in flavor.

I urge anyone to give these ingredients a shot.  Not just GF’ers!  Most of them were in my pantry before going gluten free, and I’ve grown to love them so much.  Really, the only thing I miss is hot, crusty bread. mmm  I’m definitely getting the hang of this whole gluten-free thing and trying to have fun experimenting. 

Check back for another GF post next week! [tips on eating out, etc.]

Also, check back later TODAY for a gluten-free giveaway.  Trust me, you don’t want to miss this!! 

Feel free to leave your favorite gluten free products, flours, baking tricks, and blogs in the comment section. 

Ashley

p.s. Don’t worry.  The zucchini bread recipes are coming.  All THREE of them.  Pretty sure I’ve eaten an entire loaf in the past 48hrs, with all of the sampling.  And I still want more.

So what exactly is this new series? 

I could have called it…

• recipes to a new foodie
• recipes + tips  to refresh your life
• recipes for health
• healthy kitchen 101

However, I decided on “Recipes for Mom,” for a few reasons.

Over the last 20+ years, my mom has racked up quite the medical history.  Her problems have all stemmed from a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, at age 40.  I’m not a medical professional, but my opinion is that mom’s medical history was not a direct result of what she was eating.  Sure, there were probably certain foods that would have helped her UC and some that made it worse, but the ulcerative colitis was not caused by dietary choices.  Also, 20 years ago, treating illness with food wasn’t as popular as it is today.  She may have been able to better control her UC, but at the time, it didn’t seem to be an option.  She also had an extremely severe case.

A brief rundown of my mom’s medical history: 

• ulcerative colitis, treated with a slew of medications, that caused many of the following
  • arthritis
  • osteoporosis
  • hip replacement
  • large colon removal
  • bacterial meningitis [after being on immunosuppressant drugs, near death experience]
    • rotator cuff surgery
• sleep apnea
  • obstructed sleep apnea surgery
• sciatica problems [since June 2010]
  • sciatica surgery [February 2011]

And this is just from what I can remember!

Throughout all of this, it hasn’t been easy to stay on track with constant healthy eating.  My mom also has a fairly high-stress job, with a lot of take home work each night.  She doesn’t have hours of time on her hands for grocery shopping + cooking.  My dad is also very busy with a co-owned appraisal business, typically working 6-7 days/week.  And there’s also the golf addiction.

My parents don’t eat poorly, by any means, but they are always saying they want to do better.  They’ll try things that I have on the blog here + there, but I think some of the recipes + foods are a bit intimidating.

Since my mom’s latest sciatica problems, it was really hard to stay on track.  She was in pain.  A lot of pain.  All over her body.  The last thing you want to do when your body is in fiery pain, and having just worked a long day, is be on your feet in the kitchen.  Even when you’re not in pain, it’s hard to get in the kitchen after a long day.

Healing from surgery, has taken months.  It was extremely difficult.  She was out of work for almost 2 months and in constant pain.  She has finally started to feel a bit more like herself in the past few weeks.  Ever since my trip home and her trip out to Colorado, my mom has had a surge of motivation to get back on track with food + exercise.  She [and my dad] want to eat less meat, try new foods, eat less packaged/processed foods, and learn how to quick a handful of go-to weeknight meals that don’t take an hour to prepare.

Please remember that I am not a registered dietician, doctor, or trained health professional.  Please consult your doctor before changing your diet, starting a new fitness routine, and for all medical related questions.   

The basis of this new series is for beginners wanting to enter the world of health + ditch the idea of going on a diet.  This will be about your diet, but it’s not about going on a diet.  It’s for people who are confused on how + where to start and are not familiar with things like quinoa, kale, millet, tempeh, buckwheat, chia seeds, flax, etc.  It’s for people curious on what items to stock in their pantry and what kitchen tools are most worth investing in.  It’s for people that want to have fun with food and not see it as a chore, or something to be afraid of. 

Simplicity in the kitchen!

My plan is not set in stone, and I can’t wait to expand on it more + more in the coming months.  My hope is to inspire my mom + dad, friends, YOU, anyone at all.  Maybe this will all be redundant for you.  Maybe you will hit the “snooze” button on these posts.  Maybe this is just the thing you needed.  Either way, I can’t wait to get started!

One of my most used kitchen tools is the fine mesh strainer, pictured below.  I use it practically everyday, and sometimes numerous times for 1 meal.

This little tool, will set you back $5-20, which will be worth it in the first month. 

Fine mesh strainer uses:

• rinsing beans
• rinsing grains [quinoa, millet, etc.]
• draining small batches of pasta
• draining liquid from any canned good
• sifting flours for baking
• straining cooked liquid mixtures, to keep out food pieces
• straining citrus juices to keep the seeds out

Typically, I use this for rising grains + beans, which I eat a whole lot of!

A few places to buy a fine mesh strainer: [I recommend 6-8”]

• Amazon $16.99 [for the 6”]
• Target $4.99
• Crate + Barrel $9.99 [the one I have!]

What are we cooking today?

Millet!  What exactly is millet?  It’s a nutrient dense, gluten-free seed, that has a mild-nutty flavor, with a fluffy texture.  

Here is the nutritional profile for 1 cup of cooked millet.

1/4c uncooked millet, yields approximately 1c cooked millet

*Edited to add – Millet actually has a high glycemic index level.  I confused the original number with the glycemic load number.  My apologies!!

Millet is packed with nutrients and health benefits that you can read about here.  It’s quite possibly my favorite seed/grain and is extremely versatile.  Millet can be paired with almost any meal and can take on any flavor you want!

Where can you find millet?  Great question!  You most likely find millet in the bulk section of your health food store.  If you can’t find it, you may want to ask your store to carry it.  You can also always buy in bulk online!  I love storing my bulk goods in 32oz mason jars.  It keeps them organized + fresh!  At Whole Foods, I can buy organic millet for $.99/lb! 

The first thing you’ll want to do is measure out your millet, depending how much you want to cook, dump it in your fabulous new strainer + rinse!

I always use cold water and rinse for about 30 seconds, until the water runs clear.

I typically cook 1 cup of raw millet, which yields about 4 cups cooked millet.  When I do this, I start off by adding 1T cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil to a medium pot, over medium heat.

After letting the oil heat, I add the millet in.

And then stir for 1-3min until slightly browned.  This helps to deepen the nutty flavor of the millet, but can be skipped if you’re in a hurry!

I use 2c water : 1c raw millet ratio.  I’ve read 3:1 before, but have found 2c works best for fluffy results.  I typically use 100% water, but you can incorporate low-sodium veggie stock [or organic/free range chicken/beef stock] for more flavor.

I bring the millet to a boil.

Stir once.  Reduce heat to simmer + cover with a tight fitting lid.

Then I set the timer to 20 minutes, and let it simmer away.

Simmer = small, frequent bubbles

During the cook time, I prepare the rest of my meal.  Typically something with beans, and 1-2x a week tempeh or tofu.  I also always have some sort of greens involved.  We eat kale chips [will get to that soon!], salad, or steamed/sautéed greens every single night.

This particular night, I cooked tofu.  It was my best cooked tofu yet!  The key to good tofu texture, is pressing out the liquid between dish towels, for 30min.

After 20min, turn the heat off, and move the pot to a neighboring burner.  Let sit for 5min.  You can also skip this step, but it does help with the texture!

Here is the cooked millet.

Next, you want to fluff it with a fork, just like cooking rice.  Using a fork really helps keep things fluffy, light, and slightly sticky.

{fluffy love}

Typically, I top millet with just a little butter or soy free Earth Balance, fine grain sea salt + freshly ground black pepper.

You can dress it up more if you like, but this simple style is my favorite!

The full meal included:

• simple cooked millet
• tofu [tossed in coconut aminos, honey, brown rice vinegar, coconut oil, salt, pepper, garlic + a sesame oil drizzle at the end]
• 4min sautéed kale with garlic + salt

Simple Cooked Millet [4, 1c servings]

• 1c raw millet
• 1T olive oil
• 2c water
• salt/pepper/butter as preferred

1. Heat a medium sized pot, over medium heat + add 1T olive oil.
2. Rinse millet in a mesh strainer, until the water runs clear.  ~30sec
3. Add millet to the pot + stir 1-3 minutes, until lightly browned.  *optional step
4. Add in water + bring to a boil.
5. Stir once, reduce heat to simmer + cover with a tight fitting lid.
6. Let cook for 20min, until all liquid is absorbed.  Do not open the lid or stir while cooking!
7. Turn burner off and move the pot to a neighboring burner for 5min.
8. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
9. Serve and top with seasonings of your choice.

*For more flavor use 1c veggie stock + 1c water, instead of 2c water.

*You can use 1T unrefined coconut oil, instead of olive oil, for a slight coconut flavor.  Perfect to go along with coconut curry dishes!

*If you only want 1 serving, using a smaller pot, reduce millet to 1/4c, water to 1/2c, and oil to 1 teaspoon.

*If you want millet all week long for 2-4 people in the house, make a larger batch with 2c raw millet, 4c water, and 2T oil.  It will keep in the fridge for about 4-5 days. 

Another reason I like to cook millet plain, is so I can use it all week and dress it up however I like.  You can reheat millet, with a sprinkle of water in the microwave or in a pot/pan on the stove.  Add whatever seasonings you want!

I love using millet for breakfast!

And even like throwing it cold on a salad.

Check out my recipe page for even more millet ideas!  In your internet tools, use “find” and search for millet.  Then you can arrow through all the recipe titles including the word millet.

And that raps up Recipes for Mom {intro + part 1}

Hope you enjoyed it!

Ashley