Gluten Free Bread Recipe

For Christmas last year, I asked my mom for a bread maker.  It seemed to be the best and easiest way to make bread.  I really had no clue that gluten free bread can taste so different and just the slightest change in flour, can really make or break the bread.  So after many many trials I have come up with a recipe ( a variation of so many different ones) that my son really likes and will eat with no problem. 

Dry Ingredients

1/2 cup  Sorghum flour

1/2 cup Garbanzo bean flour

3/4 cup brown rice four

3/4 cup white rice flour

1 tablespoon xanthum gum

1 tablespoon yeast

1/3 cup tapioca starch

 

Wet Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk

1/4 cup honey + a little for the top

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

3 eggs

 

Add the wet ingredients to the bread maker first. Add the dry ingredients.  save the yeast for last.  Make a hole in the dry ingredients and add the yeast.  Start the bread maker on the Sweet dough cycle and let it back.  About half way through (around the start of the third rise) drizzle the extra honey on top of the bread.

 

 

Enjoy!

Broccoli, Rice and Chicken Casserole

It's in the oven right now...it absolutely smells delicious.  I will take some pictures and post the recipe tomorrow.  I made a double batch so I have two large casseroles to freeze for my monthly dinners.  I am also making everything gluten free so no matter what I pull out of the freezer, Ben can eat it also. 

Recipe - Corndog Muffins

I saw a recipe on a blog when I was searching for some ideas to make monthly meals.  I thought it would be good to make a Corndog muffin but had to try to figure out the Gluten Free alternative.  This is what I came up with...credit is given for all recipes.

First off I took a cornbread recipe from the Artisanal Gluten Free Cooking book and tweaked it some.  To make cornbread you have to make an artisan gluten-free four mix.  this is my mix for the flour mix based on the one from the book. 

2/3 cup Sweet Rice Flour
1/3 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup sorghum flour
2/3 cup Tapioca Starch
1 tablespoon + 1 tsp garbanzo bean flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp xanthum gum

You can store this in your refrigerator for up 3 months in an airtight container. 

Cornbread:
One cup of mix above
One cup cornmeal
1 Tablespoon GF baking powder
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 stick melted butter
2 Tablespoons honey

Make a double batch of the cornbread for the muffins (Makes 12 large muffins)

Hot dogs:  Any gluten free kind will do

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line 12 muffin cups with liners or more if you want to make smaller muffins.
2.  Mix the dry ingredients together.
3.  Add the eggs, milk and honey and mix.  Stir in the melted butter and mix well.
4.  Pour batter into lined muffin cups filling approximately 1/2 way.
5.  Cut hot dogs into thirds and place one piece in the middle of each muffin. 
6.  Add some more muffin mix on the top of the hot dog.
7.  Cook for approximately 15-20 mins until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Depending on how big your muffins are, you might have to cook a little longer.  they should be brown on top and moist inside.
Serve right away or cool and freeze for another time. 

Finally up and running...

It took me awhile to get my act together and start the recipe and life blog about gluten free living but here it is.  I will give you some background of our gluten free lifestyle.  My son Benjamin who is going to be turning 4 was diagnosed with Celiac Diseas in October 2009.  At his three year old check up, he had failed to gain any weight from the year before so the doctor decided to try some protein type drinks and other ideas first before taking blood since he was sort of a picky eater.  Three months later we took a trip back to the doctor to find out that Ben had actually lost weight in the 3 month time period.  The doctor had some blood work done and two days later called to let me know that his Celiac panel was way off the charts.  About a week later we visited a Gastroenterologist who set a time to do a biopsy on Ben's intestines.   It was confirmed a couple days later that Ben had Celiac and he would have to go on a Gluten Free Diet. 

If you are not familiar with Celiac disease let me tell you what happens when someone who is Celiac eats gluten.  With Ben he started to have a distended stomach which showed signs of malnutrition.  This is because the gluten kills the villi in the intestines and doesn't allow nutrients to be absorbed into the body.  Ben also had a lot of stomach issues.  Other than those symptoms he really didn't seem to have any other issues, he was a happy and active 3 year old. 

In the 7 months we have know that Ben is Celiac he has gained 7 lbs and still remains active and out of control.  He's almost 4...what can you do?  I know that I am lucky to have found out he was celiac so early in life because I have heard horror stories of so many people trying to figure out what is wrong with them. 

My plan for this blog is to update with good (or bad) recipes that I have made and try to share my experiences with Celiac.  I hope you follow along and enjoy!  Thanks.