Category Archives: the gf lifestyle

Spring Cleaning

granola
Since going gluten-free, I have found breakfast to be a real challenge. I have never been a toast person, and most store-bought gluten-free bread is really only good for toasting. I also have found my appetite has changed. I don’t crave food the way I used to, and I am often not hungry at all when I wake up. This means I need something easy to eat that is filling and packed with real food.

I recently realized I needed to clean out my pantry, which led to the happy accident of a delicious version of homemade granola. The great thing about home cooking is that you get to put in lots and lots of whatever you like best. I worked off a recipe, but mainly based my amounts of things on what I had on hand.

I ended up with a cereal packed with protein and fibre that is not too sweet. It’s got sesame seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds and unsweetened coconut. Whole quinoa makes a nutty addition to cereal when it’s roasted, so I threw in what I had on hand of that, plus several cups of quinoa flakes. I used up bits of dried fruit I had too: it’s loaded with apple pieces, chopped figs and raisins. It has a touch of vanilla and honey, as well.

The best part is having both a cleaned-out cupboard and tonnes of great cereal waiting for me first thing in the morning.

Tagged , , , ,

Who Would Have Thought the Old Cupboards Had So Much Flour in Them?

I am in the midst of whipping up two gluten-free desserts for a party tomorrow, and (not for the first time) was thinking about how gluten-free baking is more complex in part because you have a longer list of ingredients—you often have three flours plus some kind of a binder in place of wheat flour. This led me to wonder exactly how many non-wheat flours I have on hand. I did a quick survey of my pantry, and it turns out I have 15.

I’ve got:

Continue reading

Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight

Welcome to my blog about life in a gluten-free kitchen. I am someone who has loved food and cooking for as long as I can remember. I have been avoiding gluten since December 2011 and been experimenting with gluten-free baking and cooking since late 2008.

One central theme that has come through is that, if you spend any time experimenting with gluten-free baking, you will have spectacular disasters. Even things that turn out okay are sometimes narrowly averted mishaps. However, when something works well, it is divine. And a success is even sweeter in the wake of flawed attempts. As well, my stubbornness seems to drive me to keep trying after complete failures.

I have had some very sweet successes, and I look forward to sharing them with you. À bientôt!