My Gluten-Free Pantry Part 1

Quite often I am asked, "What is in your pantry?" For me, that was an overwhelming thought when we finally made the change to living gluten-free. I am sure it is for many of you, so I'll share with you a list of items I have in my gluten-free pantry and why.

First of all, keep in mind the kind of cook that I am. Before changing our lifestyle to a gluten-free one, I rarely bought mixes of any kind. Cake mixes and the occasional salad dressing mix were about all I did buy regularly. Even then, most of my desserts were made from scratch. I'm not claiming that my way is "the only way" but it is how I cook.

There are many wonderful gluten-free mixes on the market, I have tried a few, but usually try to find a way to make it myself. Honestly, the biggest reason for this is my limited food budget. This always has to be considered when I go to try anything. Let's face it, gluten-free is not the most economical of lifestyles out there, but it is what keeps my family healthy.

The gluten-free pantry can take on many shapes and forms. For that reason, I will be writing about my pantry in a series of blog posts. This time, I'll talk about some of the flour options out there. There are many to choose from and I don't want to overwhelm you. Do not feel like I am telling you that you "have" to run out and buy all of these flours in order to cook gluten-free foods.

By far, my favorite flour for most baked goods is garbanzo fava bean flour. It is one of the more costly options out there, but I have found that it works well in most baked goods. When it's combined with rice flour and corn or tapioca starch, put together they act a lot like wheat flour with a mild flavor. I love it in my flat bread recipe. I also use it in my flour blend with wonderful results.

White rice flour is another favorite of mine. It is milled from polished white rice and is a very common ingredient in gluten-free baking. Combines well with other flours to prevent the common grainy texture that can come from just using rice flour alone. It is a nice, light flour that works well with many other flours and starches for wonderful results.

Brown rice flour is another favorite of mine. It is milled from unpolished brown rice and still contains the bran. It is higher in nutrient value, always a huge bonus in my book. It gives a nutty flavor to your baked goods. This flour has a much shorter shelf life due to the oils in the bran. It tends to become stronger tasting with age. It is recommended that you store this in the refrigerator or freezer for longer term storage.

Rice bran is the bran that is obtained from polishing brown rice. It has a high content of minerals, vitamins, fiber and protein. Add it to most any baked good to give your food a bit more nutritional value. This does have a short shelf life, due to the oils. It's best to buy this in small quantities, or keep it in the freezer for longer storage.

Sweet rice flour is wonderful in many baked goods. One of my favorite pie crust recipes calls for sweet rice flour. It is milled from a kind of rice that is often called "sticky rice" and is an excellent thickening agent for any sauce or gravy. Sauces that are going to be refrigerated or frozen are better made with this flour, it keeps the liquids from separating. This is not the same as plain white rice flour.

One flour that I do not use very often is potato flour, mainly because it is a heavy flour. I have used it from time to time, but have found that generally using instant mashed potatoes works just as well. Plus, they are more economical. This flour also carries a very strong potato flavor to anything you put it in.

Potato starch flour is not as heavy as potato flour and has a very bland flavor. It is a very fine flour that makes a great thickening agent for cream soups. As with corn starch, if you are using this flour as a thickening agent, mix it with cold water first, then add it to your soup. One huge bonus for me is that this flour keeps well and can therefore be bought in larger quantities.

One "flour" that really had me confused early on in my gluten-free cooking was tapioca flour. There are many recipes that call for tapioca "starch" and some just say tapioca "flour." I was so happy to learn that tapioca "flour" and "starch" are actually the same thing. No more confusion...that I like!

Tapioca works really well in recipes where you are looking for a slightly chewy texture, such as with French bread. This is also a flour that keeps really well and can therefore be bought and stored in quantity. When you combine it with bean flours and corn starch, it makes a great addition to many bread recipes.

Is your head spinning yet? I am not trying to overwhelm you. This is not even a complete list of flours. There are many more to choose from. Look through the recipes you are wanting to make for your family. Maybe foods you've been missing or old family favorites.

Pick a few recipes that use two or three flours and try them. Find what works for you, find what your family prefers. Then add to your pantry little by little. Try out a new flour every few weeks or so until you find what flours you actually like. Some flours bring certain "flavors" to your baked goods, some you will find pleasing, some you won't.

Like I've said many times, "Play with your food." Find what is going to work best for your taste and your family. I'll add to the list of flours in my next post about the gluten-free pantry. Don't go into this feeling like you have to have all of the flours. You will find some that just don't work for you, don't bring the right flavor or texture, or are just too expensive for our budget. Whatever the reason, you will find your favorites and go from there.