I wish you success with these gluten free recipes and tips but remind you that I am not a medical practitioner and give this information based on mine and others experiences and not as a medical advisor. If you have any doubts consult your doctor.
Arepas are a sturdy peasant food so tasty and satisfying; made from corn or maize which is the native cereal of Central and South America. Arepas are the traditional flat bread of Venezuela, Columbia and Peru.
Arepas are eaten at anytime of the day. According to my friends, everybody’s mother bakes the “best arepas.” There are two distinctive ways to cook arepas and various ingredients that can be combined to make them. One way to cook them is griddle fried only and the other is griddle fried and then put into the oven for 15-20 minutes. You will have to choose your style of cooking, either way they are delicious. In and of themselves, arepas don’t have much flavor, but that is their beauty. As a perfect foundation for a great sandwich they can be paired with meats, beans, cheeses, eggs etc.
Ingredients:
1 cup pre- cooked Instant masa flour
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 Tbs butter
In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal and salt and butter. Pour in the 1 1/2 cups boiling water and mix well. Cover and let stand for 10-15 minutes.
Take 1/4 c of dough and place into slightly wet hands and form balls of dough, flatten using your hands and form a cake 3-4 inches wide and approximately 3/4 ” thick. (I use more if I want to make a larger sandwich approx 1/2 c dough per cake.) Note: if the cake cracks at the edges, mix in a little more water and smooth.
After forming all of the cakes brush a griddle or a large cast-iron skillet lightly with oil and preheat over medium-low heat. Fry as many arepas as will fit, until they are soft within and golden and slightly crusty on the outside, about 5 - 7 minutes per side until they are done (when you tap on them and hear a hollow sound , they are done,) do not let them burn. You may then transfer them into a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. (I eat them right out of the frying pan, I am too impatient to bake them.)
You can eat them plain with butter or cheese of your choice. I often use them as bread for sandwiches with fillings such as: Chicken salad and avocado slices, turkey and Provolone cheese, Shredded pork or beef and cheese, etc. They can also be made smaller and served as appetizers at a party with various toppings; cheese, crab salad, chicken salad. Serving them with eggs for breakfast is also delicious. Serve with soup as an alternative to bread or crackers.
Options: add 1/2 cup grated Mozzarella, Gouda or white cheddar cheese to the cornmeal mixture.
Arepas can be made ahead of time, wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Arepas freeze well if frozen while still warm. Freeze in layers separated by plastic wrap. Reheat frozen arepas wrapped in aluminum foil in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until heated through.
Gluten Free Bread: One always crave the sweet taste of whole wheat bread. This one has all of the flavor and no wheat.
Ingredients:
1 cup Buttermilk
3/4 cup sourdough starter
½ cup olive oil
2 eggs, slightly Beaten (reserve 1 Tablespoon)
¼ cup Honey
1½ tsp Xanthan Gum
1 tsp Yeast (for flavor, leavening is provided by Baking powder)
½ tsp Celtic sea salt
1½ Tbs baking powder
½ cup buckwheat flour
½ cup sorghum flour or 1/2 cup teff flour
½ cup tapioca flour
1 3/4 cups Kinni Kwik bread flour
1/3 cup flax seed meal
1 tsp sunflower seeds
1 tsp milk (for egg wash)
Directions:
In mixer, combine sour dough starter, buttermilk, oil, egg (reserve one Tablespoon for egg wash), and honey; mix.
Whisk together Xanthan Gum, yeast, salt, baking powder and flours.
Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix thoroughly. Place dough in greased standard-sized (9″ x 5″) bread loaf pan. ( I usually have extra dough, I put it in a large juice can and it makes a mini loaf..see picture.) Use reserved egg and milk to brush the top of the loaves and sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Let sit on the counter for 30 minutes to let it rise some.
Bake 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes
Remove from oven. Remove bread from pan and transfer to wire rack to cool.
When I was going to school we brought our lunch most days and it was considered a treat to eat at the school cafeteria. My best friend Jodie would bring her lunch and often we would trade out lunch items with each other.
Her mom, Bunny used to make this coffee ring quite regularly and I just loved it. Anyway, many years later she gave me the recipe. I have of course altered it to use gluten free flour.
The recipe originally called for the cake to be layered into a bundt pan: mixture;batter;mixture;batter. My experience has been that the mixture layer on the bottom of the pan tends to stick and you lose most of it when you take it out of the pan. Consequently, I have started putting in the batter and then all of the mixture in the center; and then the remaining batter. You can make your own choice.
1 cup buttermilk or 4Tbs Buttermilk powder plus 1 cup water
Mixture:
2/3 cup raisins or dried craisins (soak them for 10 mins.)
2/3 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds)
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
Pour half of the batter into a greased bundt pan then sprinkle and slightly press mixture into the batter. Pour on the remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Any cake pan will do, but I like the bundt or tube pan. Serve alone or with half and half.
Mix all of the ingredients just enough to blend. Pour into a greased 8″ square pan and bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
If you are new to the world of gluten free baking you might want to keep this information on hand to substitute cup for cup of all purpose wheat flour in your favorite recipes.
You will find specific gluten free bread recipes in separate posts.
1 cup brown rice flour (best to keep refrigerated.)
or
1 cup rice flour
1/2-3/4 cup potato starch
¼ cup tapioca starch/flour
or
1 cup rice flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup tapioca starch/flour
1 Tbsp. potato flour
Gluten Free Bread Flour Multi - Grain
2 cups cornstarch
2 cups potato starch/flour
1 3/4 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups garbanzo bean flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup teff flour
Gluten Free All Purpose Flour for Cookies, Quick Breads:
2 cups brown rice flour
2 cups plain white rice flour
1 cup sweet white rice flour
1/2 cup teff flour
1 1/3 cup tapioca Starch/flour
2/3 cup gluten free corn starch
1/2 cup organic cold milled flax seed or rice bran
2 tsp Xanthan gum
Mix flours well and store until you need them.
Store all flour mixtures in a container with tight-fitting lid. Stir mixture before using.
Gluten Free Bread/Gluten Free Bread Alternative Flours
This is a list that I had copied to my computer. I did not keep the accompanying info because this was the info I was after. When I was trying to make substitutions I never knew what to substitute and therefore had a lot of flops. When I read this info I copied it (because I was unable to keep it straight in my head), I added pictures so I would know what to look for when shopping. Now, I share it with you, with a full disclosure that I did not write any part of this and I would like to credit the person who wrote it if you know who they are.
Potato Starch / Flour
click on photo to learn more:
This is a gluten free thickening agent that is perfect for cream-based soups and sauces and in combination with other flours in gluten free bread all purpose flour mixes. Mix a little with water first, then substitute potato starch flour for flour in your recipe, but cut the amount in half when substituting for wheat flour. It can be purchased in a health food store.
Tapioca Starch / Flour click on photo to learn more:
A light white, very smooth flour. It makes baked goods impart a nice chewy taste. Use it in recipes where a chewy texture would be desirable. It would work nicely in bread recipes such as white bread or French bread. It is also easily combined with cornstarch and soy flour. It can be purchased in a health food store.
Soy Flour click on photo to learn more:
This nutty tasting flour has a high protein and fat content. It is best when used in combination with other flours and for baking brownies, or any baked goods with nuts or fruit. It can be purchased in a health food store.
Cornstarch click on photo to learn more:
This is a refined starch that comes from corn. It is mostly used as a clear thickening agent for puddings, fruit sauces and Asian cooking. It is also used in combination with other flours for baking. It can be purchased in a health food store.
Corn Flour
click on photo to learn more:
This flour is milled from corn and can be blended with cornmeal to make cornbread or muffins. It is excellent for waffles or pancakes. It can be purchased in a health food store.
Cornmeal
click on photo to learn more:
This is ground corn that comes from either yellow or white meal. This is often combined with flours for baking. It imparts a strong corn flavor that is delicious in pancakes, waffles, or simple white cakes. It can be purchased in a health food store.
White Rice Flour
click on photo to learn more:
This is excellent basic flour for gluten free baking. It is milled from polished white rice. Because it has such a bland flavor, it is perfect for baking, as it doesn’t impart any flavors. It works well with other flours. White rice flour is available in most health food stores, but also in Asian markets. At the Asian markets it is sold in different textures. The one that works the best is called fine textured white rice flour.
Brown Rice Flour
click on photo to learn more:
This flour comes from unpolished brown rice. It has more food value because it contains bran. Use it in breads, muffins, and cookies. It can be purchased in a health food store.
Quinoa Flour
click on photo to learn more:
Quinoa is pronounced “Keen Wa” and it’s actually a South American word. This grain is a real gem in the gluten free diet because it’s protein rich. It can be purchased in a health food store.
T’eff Flour click on photo to learn more:
Teff is a very versatile grain. None of the nutrients are lost when it is ground into flour. Teff flour can be used as a substitute for part of the flour in baked goods, or the grains added uncooked or substituted for part of the seeds, nuts, or other small grains. Due to it’s small size, only 1/2 Cup of Teff is needed to replace 1 cup of sesame seeds. It is a good thickener for soups, stews, gravies, and puddings and can also be used in stir-fry dishes, and casseroles.
Coconut Flour
click on photo to learn more:
A delicious alternative to wheat and other grain flours. It is very high in fiber, low in digestible carbohydrates, and a good source of protein. It gives baked goods a rich, springy texture but needs a lot more liquid than other flours. Replace up to 20 percent of the all-purpose flour called for in a recipe with coconut flour, adding an equivalent amount of additional liquid to the recipe. You will not need as much sugar when using this flour as the coconut has a natural sweetness.
Sorghum Flour click on photo to learn more:
sorghum is an annual grass originating in Africa and a popular cereal crop worldwide. It has a higher protein content than corn and about equal to wheat. It is neutral in flavor, which allows it to absorb other flavors well.
Almond Meal /Flour click on photo to learn more:
Made by grinding blanched almonds (skins removed) into a fine powder. The consistency is more like corn meal than wheat flour. You can find extra fine Italian almond flour, which has more flavor but can be very pricey. Baking with almond flour requires using more eggs to provide more structure. Use it in cakes, cookies, and other sweet baked goods. You can make it yourself by grinding blanched almonds in a high-speed blender.
Substituting Gluten
Wheat flour contains gluten, which keeps cookies, cakes and pies from getting crumbly and falling apart. It is what makes baked goods have a good texture because it traps pockets of air. This creates a lovely airy quality that most baked goods possess when baked with traditional wheat flour. In order to help retain this structure when using non-wheat flours, gluten substitutes must be added to a gluten-free flour mixture. For each cup of gluten-free flour mix, add at least 1 teaspoon of gluten substitute. Here are three very good substitutes for gluten.
Xanthan Gum click on photo to learn more:
This comes from the dried cell coat of a microorganism called Zanthomonas campestris. It is formulated in a laboratory setting. This works well as a gluten substitution in yeast breads along with other baked goods. You can purchase it in health food stores.
Guar Gum click on photo to learn more:This is a powder that comes from the seed of the plant Cyamopsis tetragonolobus. It is an excellent gluten substitute and it is available in health food stores.
Pre-gel Starch/Xanthan Gum
This is an acceptable gluten substitute. It helps keep baked goods from being too crumbly. This too can be purchased at most health food stores.
Substitution is the solution
If you are ready to try some recipes, start with recipes that use relatively small amounts of wheat flour like brownies or pancakes. These turn out lovely and the difference in taste is minimal. Here are two gluten-free flour mixtures that are suitable for substituting wheat flour cup for cup.
Gluten-Free Flour Mixture I
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
Gluten-Free Flour Mixture II
6 cups white rice flour
2 cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour
The above mixtures can be doubled or tripled. Another option is to purchase a gluten-free flour mixture at a health food store to avoid the guesswork involved in substitutions. This flour mixture can usually substitute wheat flour cup for cup, but read the package directions to be sure. Keep these flour mixtures stored in containers at room temperature and keep them on hand to simplify your baking routine.
I have a gluten allergy, and I know that there are many others who do also. I would like to share my experiences, recipes, etc. with those who share this challenge. In addition to blogging about Gluten Free topics, I also have the following hobbies:
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Feb 21, 2009 
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