Items for the Gluten Free Pantry

Stocking a gluten free pantry doesn’t have to be difficult. You really won’t be giving up much by buying gluten free options. In fact, once you learn how to stock your pantry and what is available today as gluten free products, you’ll eat better and healthier than ever. A well-stocked gluten free pantry should include the following items:

Steel Cut Oats – With steel cut oats you can make breakfast, but you can also grind it into gluten free flour suitable for making many different types of breads. Oats can be tricky though, and it’s not uncommon for people with Celiac disease to experience problems with oats. Oats that are labeled and certified gluten free are suitable for a gluten free diet. Food manufacturers offering gluten free oats use different equipment to process oats and ensure that their products are not cross-contaminated with gluten, which makes it safe for people suffering from gluten intolerance.

Guar Gum – (Not Xanthan Gum as some people have reactions to this ingredient) — Used as a thickening and stabilizing agent in baked goods.

Corn Meal – Be certain you buy the corn meal not a “mix”, and be sure it is organic, non GMO corn meal. The mix has flour in it and isn’t the right type of corn meal to buy. You can use corn meal in a variety of recipes including corn bread.

Brown Rice Flour – You can buy already prepared brown rice flour or you can make your own by putting 1 cup of brown rice into a high speed blender or flour grinder and grinding until it’s the consistency you want. Again, be sure to buy organic, non GMO brown rice flour.

Raw Nuts – You can make nut flours from any raw nuts that you purchase. Buy unsalted raw nuts to use for any type of nut flour like almond flour. The harder the nut the better flour it will make when blended in your high speed blender.

Cocoa Powder – You can buy any kind but of course the 100 percent organic, fair trade cocoa is best, and dark chocolate will give a richer color and flavor to anything you make with it.

Coconut Flour – You can make your own using the leftover pulp from making coconut milk. You can also make it from dried coconut flakes using your high speed blender.

Baking Powder – You can purchase aluminum free baking powder at the grocery or online.

Baking Soda – Any baking soda is gluten free.

Chia Seeds – These are great blended into flour and used as a binding agent in baked goods or puddings.

Flax Seeds – Buy whole flax seed instead of flour and grind it as you need it because it will last longer and will be more nutritious.

Modified Tapioca Starch – This is the best tapioca starch you can use in your baking. It can also be used as a thickener without adding heat.

Dried Chickpeas – You can make really good chickpea flour with dried chickpeas and a high speed blender. You should wash them first and pick through the peas for stones, then dry them in the oven for a couple of hours on 200 degrees.

Looking for replacements for gluten filled ingredients isn’t hard today. There are entire sections of the grocery store, especially in the baking area, devoted to gluten free cooking and baking. There is no reason to do without when going gluten free.

Make Major Improvements in Your Life!

Cheryl A Major, Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant