BAKING GLUTEN FREE BREADS

I think one of the hardest things when we went gluten free was finding what foods we could and could not eat, which brands were not only reliable, but cost effective and easily sourced. It is hard when you get conflicting advice from different friends, I found that I had to try each one, and with much frustration at each of my many failures, I was finally able to work out what worked and what didn't. Which recipes the kids would actually eat and bread was one of the hardest, but I have finally cracked that one-Yay!

Healtheries GLUTEN FREE BREAD RECIPE

Healtheries Simple Bread Mix...It isn't the same as buying a big, soft white, preservative filled loaf, its much nicer, fresher and yummier. I make this in my breadmaker. The packet provides you with 4 different recipe options, I have been using the top one and it makes a gorgeous loaf, yummy as toast or eaten fresh on the day it is made. We don't eat that much bread, but it freezes well and we toast it when we want it. It has that yummy homemade bread taste with a gorgeous soft centre, lovely with Olivani and jam. www.healtheries.co.nz

Healtheries Baking Mix is also great, but I'm still experimenting with recipes at the moment, see my Pikelets Recipe below, its gorgeous but the gluten free flours brun a lot quicker so be aware to keep the temperature lower than usual and keep an eye on your baking.

If anyone has any suggestions for the Healtheries Gluten Free Baking Mix, please let me know, I'm alwasy keen to try another recipe.

Another Gluten Free Bread Recipe is as follows. A little disclaimer first. I was given a GF bread recipe for use in my bread maker, it didn't work for me, it fell apart, was hard to use and I dreaded making toast in the morning, it was terrible for sandwiches. I'm sure it must have been something I was doing wrong, but never-the-less, I went to work altering it to make it suit my families needs and have created something that i yummy, tasty and doesn't fall apart. (Keep in mind that without the GLUE-tin to hold it together, gluten free bread doesn't hold together the same and nor does it keep for very long-it needs to be frozen)

Champion Gluten Free Bread Mix 10kg (this is bought from a bulk foods store like Toops or Foodstuffs as a commercial bread mix. It is Gluten Free, but it does contain dairy, our boys don't eat it, but my husband does-he isn't dairy intolerant.

Champion GLUTEN FREE BREAD RECIPE
300g Champion Gluten Free Bread Mix
1 Tbspn Psyllium
1 tspn Raw Sugar
1 tspn Edmonds Dry Active Yeast (yellow lid)
1 Tbspn Olive Oil
1 tspn Xanthum Gum
2 cups Hot Tap Water

I put all of this into my breadmaker and set it on a basic medium bread setting (3 1/2 hours). I start my load before i go to bed and leave it to make itself overnight. The next morning it is cool enough to slice well without it falling apart. I place small pieces of baking paper between each slice and put it into a large snaplock bag and freeze it straight away.

This loaf is great for sandwiches if eaten the day its made, it is just ok for sandwiches if taken from the freezer, but is great for toast-it needs to be toasted twice for that firm toasted feel, but it crisps up nicely and is great for breakfast or with a topping for lunch.

I have no problem sharing any recipes that I have created to be gluten and dairy free and encourage you to share them and try them. If you have any recipe requests, you can ask me by making a comment on this post. I will see if I am able to help or at least try to point you to someone who can.

Low Lactose and Gluten Free Pascall Lollies

Did you ever want a list of what you actually CAN eat? Upon being diagnosed as Gluten Intolerant, we took our 21 month old son to see a nutritionist. We were given a list of low lactose foods and another list of gluten free foods. I have been told that many foods that do not contain lactose (even dairy) cannot say 'Lactose/Dairy Free' due to being produced in a factory that also produces products containing dairy. So unless you are very sensitive to dairy products or are allergic, your body should be able to tolerate these foods. Our son is not allergic, but will get diarrhea within hours of eating lactose/dairy, he is though, able to tolerate all foods that are low in lactose with no apparent response. (However this is personal and may be very different for someone else-it needs to be trial and error for each individual)
Now, I have 2 littlies with in tolerances and trust me me, it isn't easy to find foods that they like, that are nutritious and provide a bit of all the good stuff. Little snacks, dinners that are kid friendly and on par with what we have been eating etc. Standing in the supermarket choosing the lollies that we treat our littlies with has become a big stress.
I endeavor to share this list with you as I cross reference the list of lollies low in lactose and the gluten free lollies.

Lactose and Gluten Free Pascall Lollies

Curiously Strong Peppermints

Pineapple Lump

Jaffas

Rainbow Buttons

Mint Imperials

Spearmint Imperials

(this list was a lot larger when I first wrote it, for some strange reason, either there has been more research done, or manufacturers have started to put gluten in our lollies for no obvious reason).

This information was given to me by a hospital dietician who gets all of her information from www.mfd.co.nz It isn't my own research, just an opportunity to share what I have been given.

Please feel free to comment if you need to know anymore. I will add other lists as I come to doing them, I am a busy Mum!