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  Gluten-free grains include corn, buckwheat and rice

  Exploring Gluten: Going G-Free. Is it for you? (Part 1)

In our second article Exploring Gluten, we will explore how to cook gluten free. At first adjusting to a gluten free diet takes a lot of time and trial. You watch every step and make choices carefully, you are finally feeling better and don’t want to relive the gluten explosion in your body. Gluten sensitivity/intolerance will last a lifetime. Learning how to incorporate other foods to provide variety to a diet absent of wheat is very manageable, here are some tips from the experts:

Tip 1
Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Gluten free products do not have to be the expensive mixes. Utilize the naturally gluten free foods such as produce, dairy, poultry, meats, and seafood.

Tip 2
Check out area grocery stores. Allen’s offers an excellent selection of gluten free mixes, cereals, and pastas. WalMart offers a wide variety of frozen gluten free entrees. A favorite website for recipes and food products ideas is from the national grocery chain Wegman’s (wegmans.com). They offer over 300 recipes for gluten free dining. I was amazed how many items are favorites of mine and they are gluten free!

Tip 3
Look for gluten free labeling. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is finalizing what gluten free means – products must contain fewer than 20 parts per million of gluten. A blue label is showing up on products claiming gluten free. Labels will also be allowed for food items naturally free of gluten, such as milk.

Tip 4
Use a blend of gluten free flours for baking. Flour is not just made of wheat. Numerous grains and vegetables can be converted to flours or starches to incorporate in cooking. Available at Allens, Bob’s Red Mill offers various blends of flour that will work for gluten free baking. A blend of 1 ½ cups sorghum flour, 1 ½ cup potato starch, and 1 cup tapioca flour makes a great wheat flour alternative.

Tip 5
When frying foods, try rice flour. Rice flour provides the crisp crunch for breading unlike other gluten free flours.

Gluten free cooking requires trial and error when adjusting recipes. You will find that gluten free dining is not monotonous or boring. In my household, we don’t even notice the absence of gluten in cooking. So mastery of gluten free cooking is achieved, now let’s explore dining gluten free away from home.

About the author: Pat McCoy

My life revolves around food, what a great job! I am a registered dietitian, director of foodservice at Mary Lanning, host a weekly cooking segment for KHAS TV and in my spare time – I love to cook! Hobbies include trying out new restaurants, recipes, and wine. When I travel I check out the local markets and restaurants before I hit the museums and shopping. Relax for me is curling up with a great cook book or watching the latest episode of “Chopped.” To be included with the launch of “the H-word” web site, is an honor. Food is life and my life is all about food.