Gluten Free Pitas

YEAST “ PROOFING”  INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons honey

DRY INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup quinoa flour
1/3 cup rice flour
2/3 cup tapioca flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon gelatin
3 Tablespoons almond meal
1/2 teaspoon salt

WET INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
¼ cup hot water
2 Tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Proof yeast with honey and warm water. Set aside until quite foamy (3-5 minutes) and while you get the dry ingredients ready.

Add all dry ingredients to mixing bowl and stir together to distribute well.

Add 2 Tablespoons of butter to ¼ cup of hot water and stir until the butter melts.

Add eggs, hot water/butter and proofed yeast mixture to dry ingredients. Stir until dough comes together. The dough will be sticky.

Preheat oven to 500F.

Line baking sheets with parchment.

Grease or oil your hands. Pull out a piece of dough about the size of an egg, and shape it into your pita – about 1/4″ thick and 4-5″ wide/round. Lay the shaped pita on to the parchment or silpat. Repeat until all dough has been shaped.

Let pitas rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes. Once the pitas have risen, bake for 5-6 minutes in a 500F oven. The pitas may slightly brown but will not rise significantly.

Allow pitas to cool on a cookie rack until they can be handled. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature until ready to use them.

This recipe is perfect for making Donairs.  (
http://wp.me/prAld-en
)  and souvlaki (
http://wp.me/prAld-hk
)

Or you can stuff them with tuna salad, egg salad, turkey and garlic mayo (
http://wp.me/prAld-Ks
)  for lunch.

Or you can stuff them with apple slices, brown sugar and cinnamon and heat them up in a skillet for breakfast.

Use your imagination.

Celiac And Your Pantry

Anyone who has celiac disease or gluten intolerance or even a wheat allergy, knows that wheat, rye and barley hide in many processed foods.

This is the reason that I make almost all of the foods I consume.

Making your own breads, cookies, crackers, soups etc. is not always easy, but here are some tips on what your pantry should contain in order to make it a little easier.

First of all, you will need uncontaminated containers with tight fitting lids.

I use empty Folgers coffee containers for most of my gluten free ingredients. (Folgers is gluten free)

Another suggestion is to go to a discount store or dollar store and purchase your containers there (Check that the lids fit tightly)

You will want labels as well.  I purchased a package of address labels at a stationary store and printed “Gluten Free” on them with my printer.

I then use a fine tip felt pen to write the container’s contents onto the label.

The contents of the containers should be the following (these are just the basics)

• Brown rice flour
• White rice flour
• Corn meal
• Guar gum or xanthan gum
• Tapioca flour
• Corn starch
• Potato flour
• Potato starch
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Certified gluten free oats
• Dry milk powder
• Yeast
• Rice or corn pasta

You might also want to include other gluten free ingredients such as:

• Corn flour
• Maca
• Ground flax
• Quinoa
• Quinoa flour
• Hemp seeds (hulled)
• Arrowroot flour
• Bean flour
• Almond meal
• Gluten free bread crumbs
• Gluten free cookie crumbs
• Sugar (white/brown etc.)

Aside from the ingredients that you will be storing in containers, you will also probably like to have, on hand, spices (Pure spices are gluten free – things like seasoning salt and steak spice should be mixed at home) and gluten free (low sodium) broth (chicken/beef/vegetable – I make my own and freeze them but you can purchase them as well)

Keep in mind, if you are just starting out with the gluten free life style, that you don’t want to just go out a purchase a pile of gluten free ingredients. Look at the recipes you want to try and write a list to take to the store. Don’t buy too much ahead of time or it could wind up sitting unused on the shelf. Also, rotate your stock. When you purchase new products, put them to the back and move the older stuff to the front.

Another thing to remember is that there are many foods that are naturally gluten free such as rice, potatoes, vegetables, and meats.

That being said, remember not to use containers that previously contained foods containing gluten and store your gluten free foods in an area that is separate and away from “gluten” laden foods.

Regardless of how many times you have purchased a product, ALWAYS check the label for hidden sources of gluten. Products can change without notice.

Peanut Butter Muffins

INGREDIENTS

2 cups gluten free all purpose flour mix

½ tsp guar gum

⅓ cup brown sugar, packed

1 tbs baking powder

½ tsp salt

⅔ cup smooth peanut butter

1 ⅓ cup chopped peanuts

1 egg

¼ cup melted butter

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Line muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, guar gum, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the peanut butter until smooth.

Add the milk, a little at a time and mix well.

Add egg and melted butter and mix well.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix only until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy)

Spoon into muffin tins (3/4 full)

Bake about 15 minutes – a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean.

Allow to cool at least 5 minutes before serving.

Healthy Milk Free Chocolate Bar

INGREDIENTS

3 tbs of coconut oil
2- 3  tbs hemp hearts
2-4 tbs turbinado sugar – sweeten to taste
3 tbs raw cacao powder
1 tbs Maca

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients well.

Pour into small shallow dish or ice cube tray and freeze for 1 hour.

Keep frozen.

Gluten Free Cheese Puffs

INGREDIENTS

1 cup shredded cheese

2 tbs butter

2/3 cup gluten free all purpose flour mix

1/8 tsp salt

1/3 finely ground hazelnuts

1 drop tobasco

Whole hazelnuts (12 to 15)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF

Blend all the ingredients together and form into 1 ½ inch balls.

Push a whole hazelnut into the center of each.

Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Serve hot.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS

4 cups peanut butter

4 cups white sugar

4 eggs

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°

Combine ingredients and drop by spoonsful onto a cookie sheet. (I roll them into one inch balls and flatten with a fork)

Bake about  7 to 8 minutes.

Allow to cool.