Better Nutrition for Gluten-Free Baking Vanessa Weisbrod Director of Community Programs
Gluten-Free Baking is Delicious! 2
Agenda 3 Nutritional value of gluten-free alternative ingredients Easy-to-make mixes Creating your own all-purpose flour mix Using gums in recipes Alternative fats for baking: avocados, Greek yogurt, apple sauce, olive oil
Alternative Ingredients: Almond Flour 4 Made from raw blanched whole almonds that have been ground into a fine powder. Packed with: o Protein and Fiber o Manganese (blood sugar control and bone health) o Vitamin E (helps prevent diseases of the heart and blood and may help treat diabetes and related complications) Gives baked goods a soft texture and reduces total carbohydrates. Can use 1-to-1 but best as a mix. Use Almond flour for making French macarons, pie crusts, cakes, cookies, pancakes and quick breads. Use in place of breadcrumbs. Higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates (¼ cup= 3g fiber, 4g protein)
Alternative Ingredients: Coconut Flour 5 Ground from dried, defatted coconut meat. Because of its high fiber content, coconut flour requires an equal ratio of liquid to flour for best results. Try blending coconut flour with other naturally gluten-free flours like almond or buckwheat flour. Gives baked goods a very rich texture and adds natural sweetness. High fiber, low in carbohydrates (1/4 cup = 11g fiber, 5g protein 2g sat fat)
Alternative Ingredients: Brown & White Rice Flours 6 Made from finely stone-ground white and brown rice grains. The two can be used interchangeably in recipes. Brown rice flour: high in protein, iron, fiber and vitamin B. It contains the healthy rice bran and will help add a darker color to baked goods. White rice flour is made from refined brown rice. Can be slightly gritty when used alone. Brown rice flour: ¼ cup = 2g fiber White rice flour: ¼ cup = 1g fiber
Alternative Ingredients: Teff Flour 7 Is the smallest grain in the world. Light, uniquely flavored, 100% whole grain flour. Used to make Injera, an Ethiopian flat bread. Great source of dietary fiber, protein, iron, amino acids, vitamin C and calcium. ¼ cup = 5g fiber, 5g protein
Alternative Ingredients: Millet Flour 8 It lends a delicate cake-like crumb to your baked goods. Replace about 25% of the flour in your recipe with millet flour for added nutrition. Millet flour adds whole grain nutrition and has a mild flavor. Use in combination with other gluten-free flours like sorghum flour and almond flour. A good source of protein, essential amino acids and dietary fiber. Good source of protein and dietary fiber (1/4 cup = 3g protein, 4g fiber)
Alternative Ingredients: Sorghum Flour 9 The whole sorghum grain is ground into a flour. The starch in sorghum takes longer to digest than other flours which can be helpful for those with diabetes. Sorghum flour has a smoother texture that is great for baking. Often malted and then used to make gluten-free beer. Sorghum is high in protein, iron and dietary fiber (1/4 cup = 3g fiber, 4g protein).
Alternative Ingredients: Tapioca Flour 10 Slightly sweet and very starchy. Combine with other flours like quinoa flour or brown rice flour. Made from the starch extracted from the cassava plant. Tapioca helps add crispness to crusts of baked goods and helps keep inside of bread chewy. It is an extremely smooth flour, which makes for a great thickener in sauces, pies and soups. Can be used to replace cornstarch (use 2 tablespoons tapioca flour for every 1 tablespoon cornstarch). (1/4 cup = 0g fiber, 0g protein)
Alternative Ingredients: Soy Flour 11 Made from soybeans ground into a fine powder. Gives lightness to baked goods and has a nutty flavor. Can replace up to 30% of the flour in your recipe. Baked goods made with soy flour tend to brown more quickly. Be careful! Helps lighten the texture of bread. High in fiber and protein. (1/4 cup = 3g fiber, 10g protein)
Alternative Ingredients: Buckwheat Flour 12 Made from whole ground buckwheat seeds – related to the Rhubarb plant. High levels of fiber may help to stabilize blood sugar levels, making it great for people on a low- glycemic diet. Buckwheat is also a good source of protein and calcium. Use 50% buckwheat flour in most recipes. Try a 100% replacement with recipes like pancakes. 1/4 cup = 4g fiber, 4g protein
Flour Nutrition Comparison 13 IngredientFiber (per ¼ cup) Protein (per ¼ cup) Carbohydrates (per ¼ cup) Almond Flour3g4g6g Coconut Flour11g5g8g Brown Rice Flour2g3g31g White Rice Flour1g2g32g Teff Flour5g 29g Millet Flour4g3g22g Sorghum Flour3g4g25g Tapioca Flour0g 26g Soy Flour3g10g8g Corn/Potato0g 7g/10g Quinoa Flour2g4g18g Buckwheat Flour4g 21g
Making Your Own All-Purpose Flour 14 If you’re a total foodie or just one of those people who likes to maintain complete control in the kitchen, making your own gluten-free all-purpose blend might be the right way to go. If you choose this method, ALWAYS: Make large batches ahead of time. Store batches of flour in an airtight container so that at a moment’s notice you have all-purpose flour to use. Try a variety of blends before picking a staple blend.
Basic All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend 15 This is a starchy flour blend that’s super easy to make and is one of the cheaper all-purpose blends you’ll find. The ingredients are easily purchased in most mainstream grocery stores. Simply blend the four ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to one month. Use as a one-to-one replacement in baked good recipes. Basic Blend Recipe 4 cups brown rice flour 1½ cups cornstarch ¼ cup tapioca flour 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
High Protein & Fiber All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend 16 The sweet white sorghum flour brings protein, iron, antioxidants and dietary fiber to this nutrient-packed flour blend. The tapioca will add a thin and sturdy crust to your baked goods. The coconut flour offers a unique and slightly sweet moistness. Simply blend the four ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to one month. Use as a one-to-one replacement in baked good recipes. High Protein & Fiber Blend Recipe 3 cups sweet white sorghum flour 3 cups tapioca flour 1 cup coconut flour 3 teaspoons xanthan gum
High Protein & Low Glycemic All-Purpose Flour Blend 17 This flour blend is great for bakers looking to cut down on carbohydrates, but boost protein intake. Almond flour is naturally low in carbohydrates and adds even more protein to this wonderful blend. Simply mix the four ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to one month. Use as a one-to-one replacement in baked good recipes, specifically quick breads and cakes like carrot or apple cake. High Protein & Low Glycemic Blend Recipe 3 cups buckwheat flour 2 cups almond flour ½ cup coconut flour 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
Adding a Gum to All-Purpose Flour Blends 18 A gluten-free all-purpose blend is most effective when it contains a gum. The gums provide several crucial elements to make your recipes turn out just right. The “Doughy” Factor: A gum helps mimic the missing gluten in gluten-free flours. Gluten is what makes a dough elastic and in its absence we have to find a replacement. Xanthan or guar gum provide this “doughy” property in gluten-free baking. Emulsifier: A gum can work as an emulsifier, which means it can help liquids stick together that might otherwise not stick. Thickener: A gum works to thicken batter to become more viscous.
Xanthan Gum vs Guar Gum 19 Both ingredients are frequently used in gluten-free baking and it’s often confusing why a recipe author chose one over another. The bottom line is that they both serve the same general purpose as thickeners and emulsifiers. On the most basic level, they keep your baked goods stuck together. The greatest difference is in how they are made. Guar Gum is made from a seed native to tropical Asia and works best in cold cooking (salad dressings, ice cream, custards, etc). Xanthan Gum is made from a microorganism called Xanthomonas Campestris (lactose or sugar) and works best in baking and hot food preparations). While the amount of each gum varies per recipe, you want approximately ¼ - ½ teaspoon per cup of flour.
Alternative Fats for Baking - Avocados 20 one-to-one substitute for butter in baking By using avocados instead of butter, you’re adding nearly 20 vitamins and minerals to your cookies Dramatically reduces the amount of saturated fat (almost 75%). Because avocados have a high water content, adding them to gluten-free baked good recipes helps ensure that the final product stays moist and is always soft and chewy instead of dry and crumbly.
Alternative Fats for Baking – Plain Greek Yogurt 21 ½ cup Greek Yogurt + ½ cup oil in quick breads, cakes and muffins Greek yogurt will keep your baked goods soft and moist. Greek yogurt is made by straining the yogurt to remove the whey (the liquid remaining after the milk is curdled), and results in a more-solid yogurt with less sugar, fewer carbohydrates, and more protein than traditional yogurt. Greek yogurt contains twice the protein of regular yogurt. Use plain Greek yogurt. Flavored yogurts typically have added sugar. While you can replace with a one-to-one ratio, the best outcomes happen with a ½ to ½ replacement. Note: Not all Greek yogurt is created equal. Make sure to pick one that is made from milk and live active cultures. Avoid those with additive thickening agents like cornstarch and carrageenan (made from seaweed and used to thicken)
Alternative Fats for Baking – Olive Oil 22 One tablespoon of olive oil contains just 1.8 grams of saturated fat compared to 7.2 grams in one tablespoon of butter. Use extra virgin olive oil (the most pure and unrefined) to get the most beneficial nutrients and antioxidants. Colavita Olive Oil provides a detailed conversion chart for baking with olive oil.
Alternative Fats for Baking – Unsweetened Apple Sauce 23 ½ cup apple sauce + ½ cup oil in quick breads, cakes and muffins Replacing oil with unsweetened apple sauce is a great way to cut fat and calories and boost fiber in baked goods. You’ll get super soft and slightly sweeter products. While you can entirely replace oil with apple sauce, you will probably be happier sticking a ratio of ½ apple sauce and ½ oil. Do not replace butter with apple sauce in cookies unless you’re looking for extremely soft and cake-y cookies.
Thank You! Happy Gluten-Free Baking! Vanessa Weisbrod