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GLUTEN-FREE 101 Easy, Basic Dishes Without Wheat   By Sheilah Kaufman

No pizza! No brownies! A new diet plan to lose weight? This is what people think when they're told to avoid wheat, but that doesn't have to be the case.

Lately more and more people have been calling and asking me for wheat free recipes. My cousins' granddaughter and a friend's child have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease (no gluten), others want wheat free desserts. GLUTEN-FREE 101 Easy Basic Dishes Without Wheat by Carol Fenster is a great basic book for cooks who need to start cooking gluten free. "You can indulge in your favorite dishes, just change the ingredients. The secret lies in knowing how to use substitutes for problem ingredients you don't want." The goal of the book is to streamline the baking process as much as possible, and Carol has developed a gluten-free flour blend that works well with every baked item in her book.

The recipes are easy, and one easy mix makes all your favorites from fabulous breads to pancakes, biscuits, luscious brownies, cookies, cakes and pies, a fabulous pizza, and casseroles. There is even and nutritional data for each recipe, as well as tips to assure fail proof results.

CAROL'S GLUTEN FREE SORGHUM FLOUR BLEND

  • 1 1/ 2 cups sorghum flour
  • 1 1/ 2 cups potato starch or cornstarch
  • 1 cup tapioca flour
  • 1/ 2 cup corn flour or almond flour (or bean or chestnut flour)
  • Mix well and use as needed.

SPICY BREADED CHICKEN

  • 1 cup very finely crushed corn chips
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/ 4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 4 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless

Preheat oven to 400F. Comebine dry ingredients and roll chicken in mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, turn and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Serves 4.

PIZZA

The crust of this pizza is so delicious it has received national acclaim.

Crust:

  • 2 TBL dry yeast
  • 2/ 3 cup warm milk (110F)
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2/ 3 cup garbanzo/fava bean flour or brown rice flour
  • 1/ 2 cup tapioca flour
  • 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon gelatin powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Sauce:

  • 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/ 4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon salt

toppings - optional (cheese, sausage, mushrooms, etc.)

To prepare sauce, combine ingredients in a small pan and simmer 15 minutes. Makes about 1 cup, enough for a 12" pizza.

To prepare crust: Preheat oven to 425F. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm milk for 5 minutes. In food processor blend all crust ingredients, including yeast mixture, until a ball forms. Dough will be soft. Put mixture into a greased 12" nonstick pizza pan. Liberally sprinkle rice flour onto dough, then press dough into pan with your hands, continuing to sprinkle dough with flour to prevent sticking. Make edges thicker to contain topping. Bake crust 10 minutes and remove from oven. Add sauce and toppings to crust. Bake another 20-25 minutes or until top is nicely browned.

BROWNIES

  • 1 cup flour blend
  • 1/ 2 cup cocoa (not Dutch processed)
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1/ 4 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
  • 1/ 2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/ 2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/ 4 cup warm water (110)
  • optional: 1/ 2 cup chocolate chips, 1/ 2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 8" square nonstick pan. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add egg, vanilla, and beat until well combined. With mixer on lowest speed, add dry ingredients and warm water. Mix just until blended. Gently stir in chocolate chips and nuts if desired. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool brownies before cutting. Makes 12.
 
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