Contributor post written by Renee from Raising Generation Nourished. Today’s post is part two of the Real Food Flour 101 mini series (learn about healthier gluten flour in this post). Our family consumes gluten, and since I don’t work a lot with gluten-free flours, I asked Renee to share her baking knowledge with us.  This post is jam-packed with awesome flour and baking info. After reading this post, I’ve been inspired to try out a couple of the flours Renee mentions, like buckwheat, to help add more variety to our family’s diet. Thank you, Renee!

I am going to totally go out on a limb here and just start out by saying, I love gluten. I seriously and truly do!

I have zero problems with gluten. Used in the proper way, gluten flours serve their purpose, and can even have health benefits for some people. I bake with properly prepared einkorn flour in my house on occasion, and we love it.

So with that out of the way, I want to share with you my favorite gluten-free flours to use in my kitchen.

Wait, why would I make baking any harder than it has to be by throwing gluten-free flour into the mix?

I totally understand that question. Gluten-free baking took me years to figure out and feel comfortable with, but I will tell you why it’s so worth it.

Why I Bake with Gluten-Free Flour

1. Variety

I think it’s pretty safe to say that most people today could use a little work on gut health. In our processed food world, our guts have taken a pretty big hit that is passing down to the next generation. Even if you do not show signs of digestion distress (though most do and don’t realize it), giving your gut the same foods day in and day out is rough on digestion. And even if a household is eating clean, I have noticed in my own kids (who eat super clean) that if we get in a rut of eating the same thing day after day, digestion slows and even moods change. Rotating the flour you use to make those weekly breakfast biscuits or soup biscuits gives the gut a break from digesting the same flour over and over.

2. Nutrition

Again, I think gluten-based flours serve a purpose and have health and nutrition benefits even. Changing things up and using some gluten-based flours will broaden things out a bit more.

For example:  You can make a breakfast cookie with all einkorn flour for a healthy alternative to white flour, or you can make a breakfast cookie with two or three different gluten-free flours (or even the einkorn flour, plus a gluten-free flour or two) and really boost the variety of nutrition. Adding coconut flour or almond flour to a breakfast cookie offers a great protein and fat component to a baked good, making it more substantial than just a starch or carbohydrate based flour.

3. Medical Concerns

There are the obvious medical reasons for using gluten-free flours, such as: celiac disease, or maybe it shows up on an IGG or IGE food sensitivity test. Then there are the not so obvious reasons, which is actually where I fall into.

Personally, I have researched too much of a connection between gluten and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis that I have to be gluten-free on a frequent basis. In fact, while I do use einkorn for my family on occasion, I still stay completely gluten-free for the sake of my thyroid health. There is a direct correlation between when I eat gluten and when my thyroid numbers tank. I don’t test positive for celiac disease, and I don’t even test as sensitive to gluten anymore, but the numbers on my labs are enough for me to stick to enjoying a gluten-free lifestyle. Improved thyroid numbers are enough reason for me to learn how to use gluten-free flours.

Below, you’ll find a list of my favorite gluten-free flours to work with in my kitchen. This list is not inclusive by any means. There are so many options out there. For instance, I tend to stay away from bean-based flours because we just don’t digest them well, since they are not sprouted first. Many people love using bean flours because they give a really nice soft gluten texture to baked goods. I hope this list serves as a starting point for you, and gives you some confidence as you move into using gluten-free flours in your kitchen.

Real Food (Gluten-Free) Flour 101: My Top Picks for Gluten-Free Baking

Gluten-Free Starches

Tapioca Flour

Tapioca flour, sometimes called tapioca starch, is a grain-free starch taken from the cassava plant.

To Use

Tapioca flour gives baked goods a really nice soft gluten texture when used in the right proportion. This starch can also be used to thicken sauces and gravy. Keep in mind that a sauce or gravy will be “gooey” in texture when compared to a thick flour-based gravy. I like to use it for stir-fry sauce thickening, and it makes a great pudding. I also use it for coating meat for searing, or making chicken nuggets.

Tapioca flour is my number one go-to in baking to make things feel like they have gluten. I use it in these soft lemon breakfast cookies and savory breakfast biscuits, as well as pita bread and cakes. (You can see how I use it in cakes in this chocolate birthday cake, strawberry butterfly birthday cake, and carrot cake.) If you browse any baked recipe on my blog you will most likely find tapioca flour in the ingredient list.

Potato Starch

Potato starch, not potato flour, is the grain-free starch extracted from a potato.

How To

If you have to be corn-free (a very common allergy these days), this is your substitute for cornstarch. I use potato starch to thicken sauces for stir-fry just like corn starch. About a year ago, I read about how to use potato starch to give moisture to cakes and ended up trying it to make a vanilla bean cake for my daughter’s birthday. I was blown away at how soft and moist it turned out. Probably my favorite way to use potato starch is to make crackers with it. In the right proportions, potato starch gives a crisp end finish to baking, and it makes for really great crackers.

Arrowroot Flour

Arrowroot flour, sometimes called arrowroot starch, is a grain-free starch extracted from the roots of the arrowroot plant.

How To

Arrowroot behaves similar to tapioca starch in making baked goods soft and “gluten-y.” It’s also a nice thickener for sauces, gravy, and pudding. It tends to be pricier (at least where I live) which is why I lean toward tapioca starch more, but I wanted to include it in case it is more available where you live. Arrowroot starch may also be used as a DIY ingredient to make homemade foundation powder and/or deodorant.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch is the starch extracted from the corn grain. Since corn is a GMO heavy crop, I tend to look for GMO-free cornstarch, such as the Let’s Do Organic brand. Unlike the other starches on this list, cornstarch is not grain-free, just gluten-free.

How To

Cornstarch is most popularly known for its ease of use in thickening sauces, stews, gravy, and pudding. It is a very affordable starch to keep on hand for those uses. I have not baked with corn starch before, but you can use it as a meat coating for searing beef into a stew, or a coating for chicken nuggets.

Gluten-Free Flours

White Rice Flour

White rice flour is the flour ground from the white rice grain.

How To

White rice flour is another one of my staples that I use to blend gluten-free flours in order to create a texture similar to a gluten flour baked good. It’s a sweet, light, and easy to digest carbohydrate to add to your gluten-free baking.

As with all the other gluten-free flours, use white rice flour in addition to a starch like tapioca – blending the two together will give your baked goods, like molasses breakfast cookies and pancakes, a soft, gluten feel. White rice flour is also the flour I like to use to make gluten-free gravy. The end product feels just like a gravy made with a gluten-based flour.

Brown Rice Flour

Brown rice flour is the flour made from grinding whole grain brown rice.

How To

Brown rice flour behaves similar to sorghum flour as it’s a whole grain. Blended with a white flour, like white rice flour, and a starch, brown rice flour helps give baked goods a soft, whole grain baked feel. I rotate brown rice flour and sorghum frequently in my home just to change things up.

Sorghum Flour

Sorghum flour is the flour ground from the sorghum plant’s whole grain kernels.

How To

Sorghum flour is a whole grain flour that gives baked goods a whole wheat feel. It softens the dough, and, in my experience, is a great compliment to white rice flour. Using all white rice flour will make a baked good dry and crumbly, and using all whole grain flour, like sorghum, will make a baked good very heavy and dense. Combining the white rice flour and sorghum together, and then adding the “gluten feel” from one of the starches, is a great blend for baking.

Sorghum flour is also a good source of protein and minerals, making it a nice flour to rotate around for a nutritional component.

Corn Flour & Cornmeal

Corn flour and cornmeal are ground from the dried corn grain. Corn flour is ground all the way down into a very fine flour, whereas cornmeal is left more coarse, even leaving a bit of a crunch to baked goods. Since corn is a GMO heavy crop, I tend to look for non-GMO corn flour products, like Bob’s Red Mill.

How To

My favorite way to use cornmeal is in cornbread. I like the texture of cornmeal for my cornbread so I tend to use that, and I feel like it gives a better flavor, too. That is personal preference though, and corn flour would work the same. Since corn flour has a distinct corn taste it does work best in baked goods, such as cornbread or even corn tortillas.

Gluten-Free and Grain-Free Flours

Buckwheat Flour

Despite its unique name, buckwheat is actually a seed. Buckwheat flour is ground from that seed, so it’s actually a grain-free, seed-based flour.

How To

Buckwheat has a uniquely earthy and nutty flavor, and gives baked goods a great whole wheat taste. It’s best blended with another gluten-free flour as it can taste overwhelming on its own. Buckwheat makes really great pancakes, crepes, and tortillas, and provides a change in nutrients as it’s loaded with minerals.

Blanched Almond Flour

Blanched almond flour is ground from almonds that have been blanched (to take the skins off) and dried.

How To

Almond flour behaves like many of the flours above, combining well with other gluten-free flours to create a great “gluten-y” feel to baked goods, as well as giving it a slightly sweet and nutty flavor. Almond flour adds a nice hit of protein to my ultimate breakfast cookies, energy bars, baked oatmeal, and Kristin’s banana bread.

Coconut Flour

Coconut flour is ground from the fibers left behind from the coconut meat after it has been extracted of its oils for making coconut oil.

How To

Coconut flour took me the longest to figure out, but it was worth being able to add such a nutritious punch to my gluten-free baked goods; especially those that my kids are eating for breakfast, like granola cereal and lemon breakfast cookies.

Coconut flour is very absorbent. You’ll notice after letting your batter sit for even less than a minute that the batter will tighten because it absorbs a lot of the liquid. Most recipes including coconut flour will have extra moisture either from eggs or fat. But if you can get the right ratios with the other flours above, you can really create a baked good that feels just like a gluten baked good. When I’m converting a recipe to a coconut flour recipe, I tend to half the amount of the flour being replaced to account for the absorbent coconut flour. For instance, if the recipe calls for 1/2 cup rice flour, I will use 1/4 cup coconut flour.

Coconut flour can be used in things like crackers and granola to give a light, crisp finish as well. And since coconut flour is grain-free, it’s safe even for the little ones that aren’t consuming grains as babies yet. I even figured out how to make a 1st birthday cupcake using coconut flour, which is perfectly safe for babies.

Gluten-free flours are sold in the bulk sections of health food stores, on conventional store shelves (even Walmart now sells coconut and almond flour), and online.

The post Real Food Gluten-Free Flour 101: My Guide To Gluten-Free Baking appeared first on Live Simply.

Over the last six weeks we’ve covered every main flour used in real food baking, from whole wheat to einkorn to grain-free flours. The world of real food baking is far from boring or bland and each flour is used to create unique baked goods with a variety of tastes and textures depending on a baker’s needs and preferences.

Today is the very last day in the Ultimate Fall Baking series flour posts (wait until you see the huge surprise I have for you tomorrow!), a series that started with a decadent cake and ends with healthy muffins. I hope your tummies are full and you walk away with the knowledge of how to use various “real” flours to successfully create delicious homemade goodies in your kitchen.

What is Coconut Flour?

Coconut flour is a grain-free flour that’s made from the coconut solids leftover after the meat of the coconut has been used to make coconut milk. The leftover solids are then dried and used to make a flour known as “coconut flour.” Coconut flour is nut-free (as it’s made from coconuts versus nuts) which makes it perfect for those going grain-free with nut allergies.

Why Should I Use Coconut Flour?

Coconut flour is grain-free, high in fiber, and low in carbohydrates.

I’ll admit that coconut flour is not my favorite flour to use exclusively in recipes as it can be tricky to use due to the liquid versus flour ratio, but I love keeping a bag of coconut flour on hand for use in almond flour recipes. Coconut flour absorbs liquids very effectively making it the perfect addition to almond flour recipes that need a bit of absorption help, such as muffins and quick breads.

How Can I Use Coconut Flour?

Coconut flour can not be substituted one for one in wheat or other grain-free recipes. Coconut flour absorbs liquids very effectively which leaves baked goods, without an adequate amount of liquid, overly dry. Coconut flour recipes typically call for an equal amount of wet ingredients to dry ingredients to make up for the excessive liquid absorbed by the flour, so don’t be alarmed when you find recipes calling for 1/2 cup of coconut flour and just as much or slightly more liquid. Some bakers advise using 1/4 cup coconut flour per 1 cup whole wheat flour (non-yeast recipes), however, an equal amount of liquid is also needed.  I personally haven’t tried this recommendation.

Coconut flour recipes also typically call for a lot of eggs, sometimes as many as half a dozen eggs (or more) in one recipe. Remember gluten is a binder in gluten-based recipes, and coconut flour lacks gluten which means eggs are needed to bind the recipe together. Recipes for muffins, cakes, and breads generally need more binding than cookies which means more eggs are needed. Other binders may be used (flax seeds, psyllium husk, dates), but eggs are most commonly used.  Just like with almond flour, I recommend using recipes that specifically call for coconut flour when first getting started.

Coconut flour can also be used with almond flour to help absorb liquid in quick bread and muffin recipes.

Coconut flour will yield a mild coconut taste in baked goods, but this flavor can easily be disguised by spices like cinnamon.

Coconut flour should sit for a couple of minutes before baking for the liquid to be absorbed.

Coconut flour is also great to use in place of corn meal for coating fish and chicken.

How Do I Store Coconut Flour?

Coconut flour is best stored in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.

Purchasing Tips

Coconut flour can be made at home (here’s a tutorial), but I find the process can be a bit tedious. There are several companies that produce and sell coconut flour. I personally purchase Bob’s Red Mill’s Coconut Flour from Bob’s Red Mill, the natural health food store, or Amazon. Remember, coconut flour is “concentrated” so a little bit goes a long way.

Coconut Flour Recipes to Get You Started

To get you started with coconut flour, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite coconut flour recipes. Some recipes exclusively call for coconut flour, while others use coconut flour to accompany almond flour and help with absorption.  

Grain-Free Chocolate Cake with Icing from Live Simply

Pumpkin Bread from Live Simply

Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Biscotti from Oh, The Things We’ll Make

Raw Cookie Dough Bites from The Nourishing Home

Lemon Drop Cupcakes with Creamy Lemon Frosting from The Nourishing Home

Apple Harvest Breakfast Bars from Raising Generation Nourished

Simple Soaked Granola Bars from Raising Generation Nourished

Energy Bars from Raising Generation Nourished

Cheddar and Jalapeno Biscuits from The Rising Spoon

Fudgy Pumpkin Mini Muffins from Real Food Simple

Coconut Chai Muffins from Nourishing Simplicity

Grain-Free Cinnamon Bread from Real Food Outlaws

Chocolate Coconut Chunk Cookies from Homegrown and Healthy

Apple Cranberry Crumble from Wellness and Workouts

Finally, before we put away the aprons and close the bags of flour, let’s enjoy one last treat together. These coconut flour apple carrot muffins are easy to make and super moist (thanks to the coconut flour), the perfect introduction to baking with coconut flour.

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Apple Carrot Coconut Flour Muffins

These coconut flour apple carrot muffins are easy to make and super moist (thanks to the coconut flour), the perfect introduction to baking with coconut flour.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Muffins

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Muffins

Calories 319kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 4 eggs room temperature
• 1/2 cup honey
• 4 TB butter melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Coconut Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup carrots finely shredded
• 1/2 cup apples finely chopped, I used Gala
• 1/3 cup walnuts finely chopped

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Line a muffin pan with muffin liners or grease.
• In the bowl of a stand-mixer (find all my favorite baking tools here) beat the eggs, honey, and vanilla extract for 30 seconds. A hand-mixer can also be used.
• Add the coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt to the egg mixture. Beat the mixture on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 1 minute).
• Fold the carrots, apples, and walnuts into the batter. Let the muffin batter rest for 3 minutes before scooping into the muffin pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 463mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 3960IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1.3mg

More Ultimate Fall Baking:

Converting Recipes for Gluten-Free Baking + Gingersnaps

How to Use Almond Flour + Pumpkin Bread

How to Use Einkorn Flour + Apple Dutch Baby

The post Coconut Flour Apple Carrot Muffins appeared first on Live Simply.

Some things in life are just meant to be savored:

The perfect open-toed sandals and the warmth of spring.

Pastured butter and freshly-baked muffins.

Childhood and sweet, seasonal memories.

Tart, juicy lemons and delicate poppy seeds.

Growing up, I fondly remember early mornings with my mom. She possessed a special touch for making even the most hurried mornings extra memorable. From chalkboard coffee mugs with an “I love you” message to carefully preparing my favorite cheesy eggs. She always knew how to add that special “mom touch”.

Every breakfast was special, but springtime meant an extra special morning treat, lemon poppy seed muffins. Yes, they were store-bought, but the miniature muffins with cake-like texture made spring breakfast extra delicious.

With the first spotting of spring– the breezy warm weather, clear blue skies, and flowers blooming; my mind (and taste-buds) always drift back to those early morning lemon poppy seed muffins. Such sweet memories are meant to be recreated and savored, so who am I to resist? Creating the perfect lemon poppy seed muffin, that mimics my sweet and tangy memories, has been no easy task. Until last weekend…

A few weeks ago, my friends at Bob’s Red Mill sent me a couple bags of almond meal/flour. Our family isn’t gluten-free, but almond flour has quickly become one of my favorite flours for baking, producing wonderfully moist results.  With fresh bags of almond flour and a springtime breakfast memory calling, I spent last weekend baking.

Light-textured almond meal/flour was whisked together with coconut flour; along with a touch of baking soda and baking powder.

Butter, fresh eggs, golden honey, and sour cream were harmoniously creamed. A splash of homemade vanilla extract was added, complemented by the sweet zest of an orange.

Lemon juice flowed, and poppy seeds were sprinkled.

The result was glorious, bringing back childhood memories with each bite (and trust me, there were many). The light texture of Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour combined with creamy, rich ingredients, produced the perfect lemon poppy seed muffins. Gluten-free, cake-like muffins that are delicate and bold, sweet and tangy. The almond flour not only provides the perfect light texture, but also boosts the nutritional benefits with: protein, vitamin E, and healthy fat.

Today, I’m sharing this delicious and nourishing recipe. A spring-inspired muffin sure to please everyone in the family. 

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Almond Flour Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

The light texture of Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour combined with creamy, rich ingredients, produced the perfect lemon poppy seed muffins. Gluten-free, cake-like muffins that are delicate and bold, sweet and tangy. The almond flour not only provides the perfect light texture, but also boosts the nutritional benefits with: protein, vitamin E, and healthy fat.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Muffins

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 18

Calories 4353kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond meal/flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter softened
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
• 3 eggs beaten
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 cup orange zest from one small-medium orange
• 1 TB poppy seeds

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the almond meal/flour, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl (I use a stand-mixer bowl), add the butter and honey. Using a mixer (if using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment) or lots of muscle and a wood spoon, cream together the butter and honey. Add the sour cream and continue to beat until combined and smooth.
• Add the beaten eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Finally, fold in the poppy seeds and orange zest.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring together.
• Scoop into muffin cups and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 4353kcal | Carbohydrates: 291g | Protein: 80g | Fat: 342g | Saturated Fat: 150g | Cholesterol: 1038mg | Sodium: 2943mg | Potassium: 1486mg | Fiber: 51g | Sugar: 205g | Vitamin A: 7150IU | Vitamin C: 75.7mg | Calcium: 1238mg | Iron: 15.6mg

The post Almond Flour Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins appeared first on Live Simply.