Let’s turn your kitchen into a battlefield against gluten.
Going and staying gluten-free isn’t the easiest thing in the world, it involves extreme preparations and carefully analyzing what products you can use that doesn’t contain gluten or isn’t cross-contaminated during processing and various other tedious problems that come with the lifestyle. So being able to navigate around your kitchen without worrying whether something is allowed to make cooking as easy as possible is our end goal.
From various flours to seasonings, we’ll go over the most important ingredients that you’ll need to take your cooking to the next level and making a gluten-free diet successful, even with all its challenges.
Additives and Cooking Flours
When it comes to flours and additives, there’s quite an amount of variety in the market, but the ones we’ll mention below are the most used in our kitchen.
Pamelas All-Purpose Flour
If you’re looking for a perfect wheat flour substitute then you can’t go wrong with Pamela’s All-Purpose, it feels, looks and tastes just right that it tastes just like a gluten-containing flour.
It has nine ingredients, all gluten-free of course. If you miss or prefer the taste and feel of regular wheat containing flour, then this is the perfect substitute for you.
Bobs Red Mill Brown Rice Flour
When we want to cook food with more nutrition, we always use brown rice flour as it’s much higher in nutritional value, it’s taste differs from other gluten-free flours.
We always use xanthan gum with this flour to better hold the baked food together; otherwise, it will usually break apart.
Better Batter All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
This is a perfect ready to go all-purpose gluten-free flour blend that works with any type of recipe, super versatile, perfect texture for many types of recipes and excellent taste.
If you’re looking for a to-go flour, without adding ingredients, this is the way to go.
Viva Naturals Organic Non-GMO Coconut Flour
We’re always cooking for friends who has other digestive disorders and are limited to eat certain flours that contain additional additives, and we wound up turning to coconut flour, and it was more than perfect.
If you’re looking to experiment with other types of flour, give this one a go.
Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free Xanthan Gum
A complex exopolysaccharide, produced by a plant-pathogenic bacterium which is a microorganism that usually causes diseases in plants, and we frequently use it as a stabilizing and thickening agent in many foods and even in industrial products.
Don’t worry; it’s a non-hazardous additive.
Organic India Whole Husk Psyllium
Psyllium is ranked high on the recommendations list for people suffering from bloating, gas, constipation and other problems where fiber is required, but why do we use it in banking?
We use it as a binding agent to add more moisture and a more springy effect to our baked goods.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds all have nutrients we need; they offer a great variety of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and so forth that work together to keep our mind and body healthy.
Hunting down nuts and seeds that haven’t been cross-contaminated can be a pain, took trying out various companies before we found the right one, and the ones below are the ones we buy.
Anthonys Chia Seeds
Chia seeds have become extremely popular, known as a superfood in the health community. Always valued for their high medicinal properties and general nutritional value. Chia seed isn’t touted as a superfood for no reason; it’s actually very nutrient dense.
It’s health benefits ranges from digestive to heart health, it’s known in helping to treat diabetes as it’s rich in alpha-linolenic acid, it helps your metabolism and boosts your energy (Ancient Aztecs and worries of their time ate chia seeds for endurance and strength that would sustain them for an entire day).
Viva Naturals Flax Seed
Flex seeds have many health benefits, it helps your skin clear, reduce sugar cravings, it’s used to help with weight loss, fight cancer and it can even contribute to lower your cholesterol aside from various other benefits.
Some other advantages: promotes healthy hair and skin as it has a high percentage of healthy fats, it even help with menopausal symptoms by being an alternative to the known hormone therapy since it contains lignans and it has estrogenic properties which can also assist in reducing osteoporosis. Look to eat one tablespoon with your breakfast.
Bobs Red Mill Hemp Seeds
One of the most nutritious seeds in the world, a complete protein with concentrated amounts of essential fats, vitamins, proteins which help with higher amounts of energy, lowered blood pressure and cholesterol, improves the immune system, reduces inflammation and it even helps in controlling your blood sugar.
We always have it stocked up for various uses, from eating by itself or combined with other foods.
Gerbs Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
A nutritional powerhouse that comes in a small package containing many plant compounds that are known to give a boost to your health due to its antioxidants. Pumpkin seeds can help you fight diabetes, helps with men’s prostate health, menopause symptom relief and it even benefits your immune system and your heart.
These are perfect for any moment, eating it as a snack at home or on the go.
Terrasoul Organic Sesame Seeds
Known to be one of the oldest known to be primarily grown for their seeds. It’s normally used for its high amount of healthy oil compared to other seeds.
Sesame seeds helps to improve blood pressure, balances hormones due to its fatty-acid metabolism, fights cancer as it’s a rich source of lignan precursors and it gives a huge boost in nutrient absorption acting as an antioxidant and in doing so, helping the absorption of vitamins.
Terrasoul Sunflower Seeds
Like all types of seeds and nuts, sunflower seeds is a unique food that provides a safe and healthy source of essential fatty acids; it has an excellent source of nutrients in general, especially Vitamin B and E, copper, thiamine, phosphorus and various others.
It’s also a good source of amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. We usually eat these with our snacks.
Organic Raw Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts have a high amount of selenium which is a crucial vitamin for the body since it acts as an antioxidant that defends against free radicals, inflammation, helps to maintain an active and healthy metabolism.
It’s even essential for a healthy male fertility and female reproduction aside from various other health benefits such as decreases in risk of cancer, thyroid and autoimmune diseases.
Galil Organic Chestnuts
Chestnuts are commonly eaten boiled or pureed, but it’s also used for making flours. It took is known for its high amount of essential nutrients. It contains a rich amount of fiber, to healthy and good fats, vitamins, antioxidant compounds and other crucial components for a healthy diet.
We personally love boiling it, it tastes amazing but also sometimes pureed.
Macadamia Nuts Raw & Unsalted
While almonds are one of the most popular nuts in most parts of the world, it’s undeniable the deliciousness taste and appeal of macadamia nuts.
They’re also a nutritional powerhouse, containing valuable essential minerals and vitamins from Vitamin A, B, folate, protein, healthy fats and others that are extremely healthy for the heart, the gut, and especially in fighting diseases.
Terrasoul Organic Raw Almonds
Almonds are one of the most known and eaten nuts in the world; they’re perfect for your morning breakfast or as a snack.
They’re also extremely healthy, which is one of the reasons as to why people love them. They help in reducing risks of heart attack, bad cholesterol, artery wall protection, builds strong bone, lower blood sugar, and more.
Fats and Oils
Choosing the right oil for cooking or general use can be tricky, especially since the consumption of healthy fats is crucial on a gluten-free diet. These are the ones used in our kitchen for optimum health.
Viva Naturals Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oi
Besides benefiting in overall brain and skin health, weight loss, hunger control and other benefits, coconut oil can be used in all of your recipes, no matter what you’re cooking, or baking.
Coconut oil is a staple in every chef’s kitchen, and yours should too.
Ellora Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil
We always use olive oil in our cold dishes, and as an extra virgin has a low acidity, it’s perfect for uncooked dishes to gives us the healthy fat we need on a daily basis.
Olive oil is also an excellent choice for sauteing on the stove, or when your baked goods required liquid fat (in this case oils).