| So you've made the decision to keep your | | | | baking. |
| cooking gluten and processed sugar free. Good | | | | #4 - Gelatin |
| for you! But where do you start? This article will | | | | Gelatin is a clear solid substance derived from |
| show that with some careful planning, living free | | | | animal collagen. In our cooking, gelatin is used to |
| of gluten and processed sugar is not as | | | | bind the other ingredients together and it adds |
| problematic as you may think. | | | | moisture and protein to the mix. |
| Stocking your kitchen with the right ingredients is | | | | #5 - Honey |
| a vital part of preparing for a gluten and sugar | | | | Produced by bees from the nectar of flowers, |
| free lifestyle. We'll now look at 7 must have | | | | honey is a fantastic natural sweetener. It easily |
| ingredients that you'll use in many different | | | | melts into any recipe adding its distinct sweetening |
| recipes. | | | | taste. |
| #1 - Brown rice flour | | | | #6 - Xanthan gum |
| Naturally gluten free, brown rice flour is made | | | | Derived from bacterial fermentation of corn |
| from unhulled kernels of rice. It has a slightly | | | | sugars, xanthan gum is a must have for gluten |
| nuttier flavor than wheat flour and doesn't behave | | | | free baking. It adds in the stickiness that the |
| in exactly the same way. It is therefore often | | | | gluten would have provided. |
| used in a mixed blend of different gluten free | | | | #7 - Artificial sweetener |
| flour grains. | | | | Many health food stores now stock artificial |
| #2 - Dried fruit | | | | sweeteners which can be used in sugar free |
| Some fruits are high in natural sugars, so act well | | | | cooking. An example of this is xylitol which has a |
| as sweeteners for our sugar free recipes. | | | | low glycemic index and doesn't cause fluctuations |
| Apricots, bananas and apples are all good fruits in | | | | in blood sugar levels. |
| this respect. Depending on the recipe they may | | | | With experience, you can create gluten and |
| need to be soaked or stewed beforehand. | | | | processed sugar free alternatives of most |
| #3 - Cornstarch (cornflour) | | | | recipes. But if you are new to this way of |
| Cornstarch is (unsurprisingly) the starch of the | | | | cooking (and eating) then I'd recommend using a |
| corn grain. It is often used in gluten free recipes | | | | specialist cookbook to get you started. Good luck |
| as a thickening agent in soups, stocks and sauces. | | | | and happy eating! |
| It can also be used in mixes with other flours for | | | | |