Gluten Free Mom

Mama K's Gluten Free Bakery and Karen Robertson

I had the pleasure of having coffee with Karen Robertson of Mama K’s Gluten Free Bakery last week.

 

 

 

 

Some of you may know Karen from her cookbook – Cooking Gluten Free. 

 

 

Karen is somewhat of a super hero to me as this was my very first gluten free cookbook.   This cookbook saved me when we first went GF.   It features every-night recipes from award winning chefs that result in gourmet-like meals that any ordinary cook can make.  Some of these recipes, such as the one for Bathing Rama, are in our regular dinner rotation that we continue to make at least once a month.   Plus it has recipes for gluten free baking for everything from chocolate chip cookies to banana bread. 

 

 

 

Like a lot of us, Karen started cooking gluten free when her children were diagnosed with celiac disease back in 1997 and 1999.  Her son was the first to be diagnosed with full-blown, classic symptoms of celiac disease—wasting away, projectile vomiting (his body clearly rejecting the wheat).  A few years later their daughter, who was completely asymptomatic, was diagnosed with CD when the family participated in a study of Dr. Alessio Fasano’s at University of Maryland.

 

Since then, Karen has been a force in the Gluten Free community doing everything from being on the board of the Gluten Intolerance Group, to teaching cooking classes and her very popular Cooking Gluten Free Cookbook. 

 

She is now treating those in Seattle with her wonderful gluten free baked goods.  You can order everything from pizza crust to these delicious Apple Hand Pies through her website. 

 

 

 

Karen will also be selling her yummy treats  June 1-September 28,  at Magnolia Farmers Market, Saturdays from 10am-2pm. Go early, she is sure to sell out quickly.

 

Our Favorite Bread Machine for Gluten Free Breads and a Recipe for Brown Bread for your Bread Machine

There are numerous options when it comes to store bought gluten free bread, but none of them compare to a warm loaf of gluten free bread that you bake fresh in your own home. 

If you are thinking of purchasing a new bread machine to cook gluten free bread then purchase one with a gluten free cycle or one that has a programmable cycle. 

Gluten containing dough (wheat dough) rises, needs to be punched down and then rises again.  Most settings on traditional bread machines will take you through this process two or three times. 

You do not need all of these cycles for gluten free bread; the second rise can result in a deflated loaf of gluten free bread.  With programmable cycles you have the flexibility of selecting just one knead and one rise cycle which is all you need for gluten free bread.  Alternatively, you can buy a bread machine with a gluten free setting that automatically eliminates all of the extra cycles.

• Our favorite bread machine is the Zojirushi BB-CEC20 Home Bakery Supreme 2-Pound-Loaf Breadmaker.

 

 

You can use the Basic Course when baking gluten-free breads .  The Zojirushi also has a programmable cycle to set for gluten free bread so you can set the exact knead time, rise times, crust color, and baking time you desire.  For gluten free bread, set the machine for Preheat 15 minutes, Knead 25 minutes, turn OFF Rise 1 and Rise 2, Rise 3 for 55 minutes, and Bake for 55 minutes.  It also has dual paddles for mixing.  

 

 

and settings for three crusts shades – light, medium and dark.   You can also use it cook everything from meatloaf to homemade jam. 

We are not the only ones that love this bread machine.  BreadInfo.com tested the Zojirushi BB-CEC20 by preparing several types of bread in it. They say it does a good job making white bread and bread dough, but they're particularly impressed with its ability to produce "remarkably high-quality" gluten-free bread. 

The Zojirushi is the cream of the crop, but you can make good bread with a less expensive bread maker

• If you are looking for a less expensive alternative, then we recommend the Oster CKSTBR9050 Expressbake Bread Maker which features a gluten free setting. 

 

It does not have some of the bells and whistles of the Zojirushi such as the extra features, dual blades and large window, but it will get the job done with a built in gluten free cycle and two-pound loaf capacity.

• I have not personally tried it, but the Cuisinart CBK-200 2-Pound Convection Automatic Breadmaker also has a gluten free setting.

  

You cannot program the cycles but it comes with a gluten free setting that should work for most home bakers. It is a single paddle system but also has a pause feature for scrapping down the sides, and a keep warm setting. 

Once you have a bread machine, you are going to need a good recipe.  There are two cookbooks with reliable recipes:

 

• 125 Best Gluten-Free Bread Machine Recipes by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt. This book has numerous recipes for gluten free baking and discusses programming guidelines for the Zojirushi bread machine!

 

• Gluten-Free Baking Classics for the Bread Machine by Annalise G. Roberts. It has everything from great recipes, specific directions on how to set your bread machine and tips for when things just don't go right.

In addition, we have our own recipe for Gluten Free Brown Bread for a Bread Machine.  All bread machines work a little different so you may have to experiment with this one a few times but we cook it regularly in our bread machine and it works great.

 

Recipe for Gluten Free Brown Bread

for a Bread Machine

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cup warm water
• 3 Tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
• 2 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoon honey
• 3/4 cup brown rice flour
• ½ cup white rice flour
• 3/4 cup millet flour
• 1 cup tapioca flour
• just shy of 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
• ½ cup dry milk powder (for dairy free use Vance's DariFree)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons GF yeast

 

Directions:

Add the eggs (lightly beaten), water, oil, cider vinegar and honey to the pan of the bread maker and stir until combined. 

In a large bowl whisk the dry ingredients together.

 

Only use grains that are labeled gluten free.   Add the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients. 

With your finger make a depression in the center of the dry ingredients and add 2 ½ teaspoons gluten free yeast.

 

Set bread machine on the gluten free cycle or program for the least number of rise cycles.  If your bread machine is programmable, program your machine for Preheat 5 minutes, Knead 25 minutes, turn OFF Rise 1 and Rise 2, Rise 3 for 55 minutes, and Bake 50 minutes. 

Once it starts mixing, scrape the sides of the bread pan with a rubber spatula.  Make sure all dry ingredients are incorporated. 

When the bread machine is finished, let cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes.  Sometimes it helps to lay the pan on its side for a few minutes, then shift to the other side for a few minutes.   Gently remove the bread from the pan after it has cooled a bit, then cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. 

PRINT THIS RECIPE

This bread is so moist that it almost gets too soft if you store it too securely with saran wrap or Ziploc bags. I love the Progressive International Adjustable Bread Keeper

 

It has vents on the side to regulate air flow, can adjust to the size of your loaf and it has a built-in cutting board.  Your bread will hold for a few days on the counter.  For longer storage, slice and then put into Ziploc bags in the freezer. 

Send me some photos of your finished bread and always feel free to email with questions. 

Happy Mother's Day - From one GF Mom to Another

 


For all of the Mother's out there: 

For Mothers
Adapted by Jim Fowler

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
but have not love,
I am a housekeeper ­ not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love,
my children learn cleanliness ­ not godliness.
If I scream at my children for every infraction,
and fault them for every mess they make,
but have not love,
my children become people-pleasers ­ not obedient children.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.

Love accepts the fact that I am the ever-present "mommy,"
the taxi-driver to every childhood event,
the counsellor when my children fail or are hurt.

Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, and runs with the child,
then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.

Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God's perfection of my child.
All the projections I had for my house and my children
have faded away into insignificance,
And what remain are the memories of my kids.

Now there abides in my home scratches on most of the furniture,
dishes with missing place settings,
and bedroom walls full of stickers, posters and markings,
But the greatest of all is the Love
that permeates my relationships with my children

Gluten Free Giant Oatmeal Cookie

Who wouldn’t want a Giant Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookie for their birthday?

May is Birthday Month at our house as we celebrate three birthdays starting with Dad’s and ending with mine on May 31^st.  Dad’s favorite cookie is the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie – not wanting three birthday cakes in one month, we came up with this recipe several years ago.   

This cookie would be great for any celebration – Fourth of July, Classroom party or just a fun treat to make when you don’t have to time to scoop out individual cookies.

Birthdays, however, are big deals at our house.  Not so much the gifts, but the celebration.  

 

 

This year, it was even more special because my Gluten Free Teen made the cookie. 

 

 

She is a great cook and our time in the kitchen has been such a special blessing.

 

Recipe for Gluten Free Giant Oatmeal Cookie

Gluten Free Mom Recipes

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1 cup butter softened (use Earth Balance for dairy free)

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 eggs

• 1 1/4 cups gluten free flour

• ¼ cup tapioca starch

• 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum**

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp GF baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 3 cups certified GF oats (we use Bob’s Red Mill GF Rolled Oats)

• 1 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Beat butter and sugars together on medium until smooth, about 5 minutes.  Add vanilla and eggs, and beat well.

 

Whisk the dry ingredients together - flour,tapioca starch, xanthan gum**, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.   Add to the wet ingredients and stir, do not over mix.

 

Stir in the oats and raisins.   

 

Refrigerate for at least an hour.   

 

To make a giant cookie,  spread all of the mix on a round pizza pan that is lined with parchment paper leaving about one inch around the sides so it can expand as it bakes.

 

 

 

Place on the middle rack in the oven and place a square cookie sheet on the bottom rack in case the cookie expands over the edges of the pizza pan.  Don't skip this step our you may have a very big mess in your oven.

 

 

 

 

Bake for 20 minutes.  

 

To make cookies, form round balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 -12 minutes.

 

**No need to add additional xanthan gum if it is already in your gluten free flour mix.

 PRINT

We have decorated this cookie many ways over the years.  It is great frosted but just as good without.  This is the Fourth of July cookie we made one year.

 

This year my GFTeen dipped some strawberries in Nutella and popped them on top. 

We used Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend for the Gluten Free Flour.  It is fast becoming my go-to flour for baking.  And for the Oats, Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats.

Gluten Free Miracle Noodle did not fly with this family

Have you heard of the Miracle Noodle?  It is a noodle that is made out of a natural fiber called Glucomannan.   These are also known as shiritaki noodles in Japan.   Not only are they free of gluten, but also fat, sugar and  starch.   They have been called the no-carb noodle and have gotten some good press as a natural diet aid since they have no calories but leave you feeling full because of the high fiber content.  Additionally, because they have no carbohydrates or sugar, their glycemic index is zero meaning they are slowly absorbed into the bloodstream. 

I saw these noodles at PCC Natural Markets about a month ago.  Just the look of them made me a little cautious.  When given the opportunity to sample, I was really curious to try them. 

Unfortunately, they did not go over well with my family.  They come packaged in water in little plastic bags.  The first thing you will notice is the strong smell when you cut the bag open;  the water they are packed in smells awfully fishy.  They are pretty easy to prepare, just rinse really well to get rid of the smell, blanch in boiling water for a few minutes then saute in a skillet to remove the extra moisture.

On their own, they really have no taste.  In this regard, they are somewhat like tofu in that they absorb the taste of the sauce they are served with.  We made a Thai peanut sauce. The taste was not the issue: it was the texture that turned us off.  They are springy and firm - almost like calamari or a really overcooked ground beef.  I guess if you are trying to lose weight and just have to have something like a noodle then these might be for you.   While we appreciated the opportunity to sample this noodle, it is not going on our favorites list.

If you want to try them yourself, they are on sale on Amazon.com for the month of May; Miracle Noodle 6 bag Variety Pack, 4.2-Pound (Includes: 2 Shirataki Angel Hair, 2 Shirataki Rice & 2 Shirataki Fettuccini)

If you are looking for a good Gluten Free pasta noodle we recommend:

Maninis Fresh Pasta If you are lucky enough to find a store that sells this pasta, do not hesitate to buy it.  Made from alternative grains and free of rice and corn, it is pure delight.  Taste better than any wheat pasta.  And it comes in a lasagna noodle size.  Made in a dedicate GF facility.  Click HERE to see where you can purchase it.

Bi-Aglut Our favorite pasta with a great texture that is not starchy.  Order it from Quattrobimbi or Amazon.com. It is made in Italy which has strict laws making it obligatory to guarantee a content of less than 20 parts per million (ppm).

Bionaturae Gluten Free Pasta This has become our regular pasta.  It taste great, is not starchy at all and holds up well in casseroles.  Plus it is easy to find at the grocery store. And it is made in a GF facility in Italy and regularly tested. 

Quinoa Ancient Harvest Pasta  Great tasting with the added benefit of being a high quality protein grain that is free of rice.  Ancient Harvest Quinoa is “grown exclusively in the high Andean Altiplano regions of Bolivia . . . insuring no possibility of potential field contamination with such grains. Our Traditional, Inca Red and Black whole grain quinoa is then cleaned, processed and packed in our quinoa-only organic and gluten free facilities."